Pelicans: 2 NBA assistant coaching candidates to replace Stan Van Gundy

The New Orleans Pelicans will be looking for their third head coach in three years after parting ways with Stan Van Gundy.

The writing was probably on the wall after the Pelicans underperformed, though that was probably more due to a poorly constructed roster than anything Van Gundy did.

But coaches are always the scapegoats, so Van Gundy will be back to his old TV job and David Griffin will get to keep his.

When it comes to replacements, the Pelicans best option might be internal. Teresa Weatherspoon and Fred Vinson have both been mentioned as options and both have had success as assistants, are well-liked and already know the players.

Will the Pelicans go with a fresh vision or a known commodity? Their best bet might be to go with a young but experienced assistant coach who is ready to take over the top job.

I hope they look within, but if not, a young assistant coach would be a good choice.

New Orleans Pelicans: No more re-tread coaches, please

Stan Van Gundy was never a great hire and many of us questioned it right away. While I admire Van Gundy as a person, he just never seemed like the right fit with a team full of young players who might clash with his “old school” style of coaching.

The Pelicans wanted to teach toughness and accountability but it’s clear Stan Van Gundy’s message wasn’t getting it done.

The Pelicans need someone who is more relatable to their young team, which is why two assistant coaching names have surfaced as possible choices.