The New Orleans Pelicans may be waiting for coaching candidates who are still in the bubble.
The New Orleans Pelicans fired head coach Alvin Gentry more than a month ago and since then have gone quiet.
There hasn’t been a hint or rumor about who the next coach will be, and the Pelicans are keeping their options close to the chest.
If the person they wanted was already available, it seems like the Pelicans would have made their choice, as they don’t have much time before the NBA Draft or free agency, two things they will undoubtedly want their new coach to be a part of.
It is logical that they might be targeting an assistant coach from one of the four remaining NBA teams, as it would explain why there hasn’t been much talk or information.
Jason Kidd is one name that has popped up, but it seems like an unlikely choice given David Griffin’s emphasis on character and culture. Kidd has a lot of baggage and red flags that the Pelicans would be smart to avoid.
Same with Jerome Allen from the Boston Celtics. Not only does he lack experience, but he resigned from the University of Pennsylvania after admitting to taking a bribe. He didn’t win at Penn anyway, so he’s unlikely to be on the Pelicans’ radar.
That leaves the Miami Heat and Denver Nuggets, the two current darlings of the NBA who are winning with “culture” and “system,” two buzz words that everyone seems to mention whenever a team without LeBron James on it happens to win.
People ignore that Denver has two legit superstars and the Heat have Jimmy Butler, which may have something to do with why their “culture” is so successful.
But it is also due to coaching, which is why these two guys may be the best candidates still in the bubble.