Doc Rivers’ hiring in Philadelphia on Thursday was an unsurprising, even if swift, move that came just days removed from his departure from the Clippers. The move will likely be the first domino in the head coaching market that could set off a chain of reactions of hires.
Rivers’ availability served as a catalyst to jump-start the Pelicans’ coaching search as they made contact with the veteran head coach before forming plans to meet with Ty Lue as well. However, Marc Stein of the New York Times reported on Thursday that Lue may not leave California after all.
After serving as the assistant coach for the Clippers this season, Lue is considered the “early favorite” to replace Rivers. Lue has connections with the Pelicans through current executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin. The two served as coach and general manager, respectively, in Cleveland for the Cavaliers’ title-winning season in 2015-16.
Lue’s candidacy with the Pelicans has largely been speculatory, though representatives from the team are set to meet with Lue in California on Friday. Still, as one of the top candidates on the open market, the Pelicans likely are a team down the list of contenders, making it a long-shot Lue lands in New Orleans.