New Orleans Pelicans coaching candidates: Wes Unseld Jr.
Wes Unseld Jr.
Another hot name on the assistant coach market is Denver Nuggets’ assistant Wes Unseld Jr.
Denver and Miami are going to be involved in a lot of rumors, as everyone is trying to mimic their sustained success.
Unseld Jr. is an intriguing choice because he has two things the Pelicans need: someone who can develop young talent and someone who coaches defense.
Unseld Jr. was charged with improving the Nuggets’ woeful defense and he did, while helping to develop Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr.
The Pelicans have to get more out of their young guys and Unseld Jr. has proven he knows how to do it, so might be the best candidate to help develop Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram.
Unseld Jr. also took the Nuggets’ defense, which was one of the worst in the NBA, and brought them into the top-ten.
The Pelicans currently have the 20th best defense in the NBA and the 4th best offense, so it doesn’t take a genius to see where they need to improve. If the Pels can get to the middle of the pack defensively, they will be a tough team to beat.
Unseld Jr. may be the guy to get them there.
The Pelicans’ new coach is still a mystery, but their silence on the matter might mean their guy is still coaching, in which case we’ll just have to wait out the playoffs.