Category: Pelicans

Willie Green preaches the importance of ‘connecting with players’

For Willie Green, coaching goes far beyond just the X’s and O’s.

After a long search and many interviews, the New Orleans Pelicans officially introduced new head coach Willie Green on Tuesday morning.

“We’re going to coach with love and accountability. You’re going to see a team that goes out and represents this city,” Green said. “We talked about being joyous…we want to have a good time doing it.”

Love. That was a main subject of today’s press conference.

Green made it clear that ‘connecting with players’ and showing that you care about one another will be the foundation of this organization.

“When I think about coaching…the best coaches are not the X’s and O’s. People can do that. The best coaches are the ones that you know care about you,” Green said. “And connecting with players is no different than just connecting with people. You quickly realize you have a lot more in common than you don’t.”

Woj: Pelicans acquire Valanciunas, swap picks for Adams, Bledsoe

The Pelicans acquire Jonas Valanciunas while opening up significant cap space with the departure of Stevens Adams and Eric Bledsoe.

The New Orleans Pelicans and the Memphis Grizzlies are finalizing a trade that sends Jonas Valanciunas, the No. 17, and No. 51 picks in Thursday’s NBA draft to the Pelicans for Steven Adams, Eric Bledsoe, the No. 10, No. 40, and a top-10 protected 2022 first-round pick from the Los Angeles Lakers, first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Reported by Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, Bledsoe isn’t expected to remain with Memphis.

For the Pelicans, trading both Adams and Bledsoe opens up the needed cap space to be able sign the likes of All-Star Kyle Lowry, who Marc Stein reported last week is at the top of New Orleans’ wish list. Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball is a restricted free agent and reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic, is unlikely to have a ‘significant’ offer sheet matched by the Pelicans.

With the trade, which can’t be finalized until Aug. 6 when free agency officially begins, the Pelicans could have between $25-$36 million in cap space, depending on if restricted free agent Josh Hart is resigned.

In Valanciunas, the Pelicans are acquiring an underrated big who averaged 17.1 points and 12.5 rebounds per game last season. His improving ability to spread the floor was intriguing over Adams swallowing up space in the paint for Zion Williamson and others to work with.

Report: Pelicans, Grizzlies have ‘traction’ on trade involving Eric Bledsoe, draft picks

The Pelicans and Grizzlies have reportedly made traction on a trade that would send Eric Bledsoe and the No. 10 pick to Memphis for the No. 17 pick.

With the NBA draft closing in, the Pelicans’ bid to offload Eric Bledsoe appears to be gaining steam. Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer reported on Sunday that New Orleans and Memphis have gained traction on a deal that would send Bledsoe and the No. 10 pick to the Grizzlies for the No. 17 pick.

“Sources said the Pelicans have generated traction with the Grizzlies in a framework that would swap that 10th selection for the 17th pick while also sending Eric Bledsoe back to Memphis.”

This report comes a day after ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, on his latest podcast, indicated that the No. 10 pick was up for grabs as the Pelicans strive to move Bledsoe in a trade this offseason as well as potentially Steven Adams.

“I think both those picks are very much in play. New Orleans, they’re going to try to get, certainly, Bledsoe’s contract off and we’ll see what they do with Steven Adams. They traded for him, they signed him to an extension. We’ll see how he fits in here as they put their team together next year. But no one is just taking that Bledsoe deal off your hands so part of a deal…you’re attaching the 10th pick.”

After a disappointing season in New Orleans, Bledsoe serieems most likely to be dealt. Freeing up the $18.1 million due to Bledsoe next season could help the team put together an offer for Kyle Lowry, who they value greatly, according to a report from The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor in the last week.

If the Pelicans are also desperate to shed Adams’ deal, netting the No. 17 pick back in a deal for Bledsoe could also serve as a sweetener in an Adams trade. Unlike Bledsoe, Adams has positive trade value. While his season wasn’t as disappointing as Bledsoe’s, Adam’s fit with the Pelicans long-term next to Zion Williamson appears less than ideal.

Theoretically, trading away Bledsoe and/or Adams would open up money to re-sign Lonzo Ball this offseason, but the Pelicans seem content to allow the restricted free agent to walk if an offer sheet is too high.

Report: Pelicans ‘desperate’ to sign Kyle Lowry, terrified of Zion Williamson situation

The Pelicans are reportedly desperate for Kyle Lowry this offseason with a fear of the Zion Williamson situation being a motivating factor.

The New Orleans Pelicans appear ready to attempt to make a big splash in free agency in the coming weeks. According to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, the Pelicans are “desperate” for free agent point guard Kyle Lowry with a fear of the Zion Williamson situation being the motivating factor in their plans.

Lowry spent the final year of his contract in Toronto, avoiding being dealt at the trade deadline before missing much of the final weeks of the season with injuries. At 35 years old, Lowry is one of the most tenured point guards in the league, having spent 15 years in the NBA.

In Toronto, he became a staple of the franchise, helping shape the culture of the team before winning a ring alongside Kawhi Leonard in 2018-19. O’Connor noted that the Pelicans are hopeful he can have the same impact on the culture in New Orleans.

In order to make a significant contract offer to Lowry, the Pelicans would have to unload likely both Steven Adams and Eric Bledsoe with minimal return as well as part with Lonzo Ball. The latter of those certain seems most likely as all indications are the team is set to move on from Ball.

A sign-and-trade could be a possibility as the Pelicans have plenty of assets to sweeten the deal for Toronto. However, all of these routes require an interest from Lowry, who will have suitors who are also contenders for titles, something the Pelicans are far from.

It’s also noteworthy that Williamson’s reported unhappiness could be pushing the team toward bigger moves in the offseason. While he will be entering just his third season, after two underwhelming years in which they missed the playoffs each time, the clock is ticking on the franchise to appease their superstar.

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Pelicans officially announce Willie Green as head coach

The 12-year NBA veteran officially named the eighth head coach in Pelicans history.

The New Orleans Pelicans officially have their new leader.

Today, the New Orleans Pelicans announced Willie Green as the eighth head coach in franchise history.

“After an extensive and collaborative search, Willie stood out among an impressive group of candidates as the best person to lead our team moving forward,” Pelicans Governor Gayle Benson said.

Green, fresh off an appearance in the NBA Finals with the Suns, has spent the last two seasons as an assistant on Monty Williams’ staff in Phoenix.

“We are very happy to welcome Willie as our new head coach and we look forward to working with him to guide our team on the court as we work towards bringing a championship to New Orleans.”

Kyle Lowry rumors, Bucks offseason and Richaun Holmes’ free agency with Michael Scotto and Yossi Gozlan

A look at NBA free agency for Kyle Lowry and Richaun Holmes, plus an offseason preview for the Milwaukee Bucks on the HoopsHype podcast.

On the latest edition of the HoopsHype podcast, host Michael Scotto is joined by HoopsHype’s Yossi Gozlan. The duo discussed the offseason for the NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks, including the free agencies of Bobby Portis, PJ Tucker, and Bryn Forbes. The duo also discussed the rumors surrounding the New Orleans Pelicans having interest in free agent point guard Kyle Lowry and four teams expected to be in the mix for free-agent center Richaun Holmes.

This episode is brought to you by Sports Business Classroom. If you’re looking to jump-start your career in the business of basketball, you can sign up for classes from August 9-14th and learn from the experts on topics like the salary cap, scouting, analytics, media, and broadcasting.

For more interviews with players, coaches, and media members, be sure to like and subscribe to the HoopsHype podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and anywhere else you listen to podcasts. Listen to the podcast above or check out some snippets of the conversation in a transcribed version below.

Where do the Pelicans land in ESPN and B/R’s 2021-22 Power Rankings?

Check out where the Pelicans ranked in the early 2021-22 Power Rankings from ESPN and Bleacher Report.

As the 2020-21 season has finally come to an end with the Milwaukee Bucks winning the NBA championship, we reflect on this season while also looking forward to next season.

For the New Orleans Pelicans, the 2020-21 season was a step in the wrong direction and an overall disappointment. The Pelicans finished the regular season with a 31-41 record and missing the playoffs and play-in tournament.

This offseason has already been a busy one with the firing of Stan Van Gundy and the addition of new head coach Willie Green.

Looking forward to the 2021-22 season, ESPN and Bleacher Report put together early power rankings for the entire league.

See below to find out where the Pelicans land in both rankings.

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Jrue Holiday shouts out Pelicans following NBA Finals victory

The former Pelican showed love to his former team after becoming an NBA champion.

A new NBA champion was crowned last night as the Milwaukee Bucks hoisted the Larry O’Brien trophy for the first time since 1971.

The Bucks had a familiar face helping lead the way to the championship as former Pelican Jrue Holiday won his first championship.

Holiday, who was dealt to Milwaukee from New Orleans prior to the start of the 2020-21 season, spoke with Rachel Nichols of ESPN following last night’s victory and showed some love to his former team.

“Shout out to New Orleans cause they did me right. They sent me to a place where I could contend and ended up getting a ring,” Holiday said. “Man, just being here was a blessing. It was a blessing from God that I landed here and my first year here, I got a ring. It’s insane.”

Holiday spent seven seasons in a Pelicans uniform from 2013-2020 prior to being traded to the Bucks in November.

You can view Jrue’s full conversation on The Jump in the video above.

Pelicans Mock Draft Roundup: New Orleans focused on wings, shooting

In the latest mock draft roundup for New Orleans, the focus remains on adding shooting and size on the wings.

With the NBA Finals wrapping up on Tuesday, the next thing on the docket on the NBA calendar is the 2021 NBA Draft on July 29. As a result, a handful of mock drafts have come out in recent days with more and more possibilities.

For New Orleans, the focus remains on prioritizing shooting first and foremost. The Pelicans also could look to add depth to the wing, another area they lacked outside of Brandon Ingram last season.

The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie projected the Pelicans to land wing Josh Giddey out of Australia in his post-Finals mock draft:

“I have less of a feel for the Pelicans than any other team in the top 10. They have a tendency to draft younger (Kira Lewis, Zion Williamson and Jaxson Hayes were all teenagers when they were picked, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker was 20 years old) under this regime. Plus, their backcourt of the future could use a bit more size. I’ve gone Giddey here, who would be a pretty great replacement for Lonzo Ball, given that Ball is a free agent and no guarantee to re-sign in New Orleans.”

One of the most common names to go to the Pelicans at No. 10 is Davion Mitchell, who Jeremy Woo predicted would go to the Pelicans in his latest Sports Illustrated mock:

“As New Orleans prepares to mount a legitimate playoff run next season, expect the Pelicans to explore options involving this pick to improve the roster and expedite their rebuilding process, while revamping the supporting cast around Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. Mitchell’s intangibles, defensive acumen and reputation as a gamer should hold obvious appeal to a team that has frequently struggled on the defensive end, and with late-game decision making. While New Orleans doesn’t necessarily need another guard, Mitchell’s skill set differs significantly from the offensive-minded Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Kira Lewis.”

CBS Sports’ Colin Ward-Henninger, meanwhile, projects Corey Kispert of Gonzaga to land in New Orleans:

“I hear all the criticisms about age and lack of upside, but Corey Kispert is as close to a known commodity as it gets with a premium NBA skill. He’s the best shooter in the draft, with cultivated knowledge of all the tricks to get open and work around screens. The Pelicans need as much shooting around Zion Williamson as possible, and Kispert should be able to hold his own defensively given his size and strength.”

Likewise, NBC Sports’ Adam Hermann also has Kispert slotted to the Pelicans:

“The Pelicans want to surround Zion Williamson with guys who can get buckets, and Kispert is an absolute sharpshooter from deep – 40% from three during his four-year college career, including 44% last year – who could slot as a more dynamic Joe Harris on a team with a megastar at its center.”

While the player added varies, the goal is pretty clear for the Pelicans in adding players that can complement its young superstar in Zion Williamson.

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Fischer: David Griffin’s influence derailed talks with Jacque Vaughn

David Griffin reportedly wanted influence on Vaughn’s staff as well as Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Kira Lewis as the starting backcourt.

The Pelicans opened what was seen to be a busy offseason with player movement with the firing of Stan Van Gundy.

Before Suns assistant Willie Green emerged as the presumed next head coach of the Pelicans, it was Nets assistant Jacque Vaughn who emerged as the favorite.

Though as it seemed Vaughn was set to become the next signal caller for the Pelicans, he removed his name from the running to return to Brooklyn, siting wanting to be remain close to his children.

But, there may be more to the story.

Reported by Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, though family matters was a strong variable for the Nets assistant coach, it was ‘Vaughn’s negotiations with Griffin that derailed the Nets coach from joining the Pelicans.’

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