The New Orleans Pelicans appear to have their target for the team's next head coach. The next question: Can they land him?
Phoenix Suns assistant and former NBA player Willie Green has emerged as the frontrunner and the team's pick for the job, according to a report from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, citing sources.
The 39-year-old's name had emerged as a prime potential option to replace Stan Van Gundy in recent weeks as he helped lead the Suns to the NBA Finals, where his team leads the Milwaukee Bucks 2-1.
The Pelicans connections for that season are hard to miss, with former coach Monty Williams leading the Suns along with former New Orleans Hornets star Chris Paul, while former Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday is a key piece on the other side for the Bucks. Another rumored candidate for the Pelicans job, Charles Lee, also resides as an assistant with Milwaukee.
Related
Should the job land with Green he'd inherit a roster rife with star talent and a war chest of draft assets. The Pelicans have a pair of All-Stars under contract for multiple seasons in Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, while owning all their own picks as well as multiple incoming first-rounders from both the Los Angeles Lakers and Bucks. That draft haul includes the No. 10 selection in the upcoming NBA draft.
One selling point for Green is his ability to relate to NBA players, considering he was one himself. Green starred at the University of North Carolina before being drafted No. 41 overall in 2003. Green, who would be a full two decades younger than his predecessor, played 12 seasons across five teams, including a short stint in New Orleans.
Green's coaching career began in 2016 as an assistant with the Golden State Warriors before he was hired by the Suns in 2019.
Related
The Pelicans' search for its next coach started late, with the team waiting until June to officially part ways with Van Gundy after one season. A large number of teams on the coaching carousel have already landed their new leaders, and one assistant coach, Jacque Vaughn, pulled his name from head coaching consideration.
Whomever takes over the top job in New Orleans will be tasked with breaking out of the rut cast by the past two seasons with records of 30-42 and 31-41, both of which resulted in a close playoff miss and a new head coach the following season.