Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry has just one more year left on his contract, making his future in New Orleans somewhat unclear. In four seasons prior to 2019/20, Gentry has led the Pelicans to just one postseason appearance, a conference semifinals exit at the hands of the Warriors.
If New Orleans decides to move on from Gentry, two candidates the organization may pursue are current Clippers assistant coach Tyronn Lue and current Lakers assistant Jason Kidd, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
As Wojnarowski notes, Pelicans’ executive vice president David Griffin has relationships with both Lue and Kidd from his front office days with the Cavaliers and Suns.
Lue was Cleveland’s head coach during the organization’s championship-winning season in 2016. Griffin spent 17 seasons within the Suns organization, during which time Kidd evolved into one of the NBA’s elites from 1996-01.
Pelicans have tons of draft and trade assets，need to make 3 good trades to make playoffs next year
I think they can make the playoffs next year with only 2 good trades.
Who’s doing the speculating about this? Gentry’s done a fine job and I doubt his job would be in jeopardy if he didn’t have one year left in his contract.
I don’t believe Gentry is going anywhere. Let’s pretend though that he does, and PHI and HOU also make changes- which is the most attractive coaching gig?
1st PHI
2nd NOP
3rd HOU
I disagree about Philly over New Orleans as a coaching destination.
In Philadelphia, the expectation is pretty much championship or bust based in the way fans treat Brett Brown. In New Orleans, one has time to develop youth and implement their system over time, which seems like a better recipe for long-term success.
The 76ers do have a stud in Embiid, but it’s unknown if Simmons is the immediate answer at point guard. The Horford contract is ugly and cap space is limited after Harris was given the max.
Meanwhile, the Pelicans will only need to pay Ingram for the time being and can swap out Holiday as a useful trade chip if they want to improve their future outlook. While Ball and Zion are still unproven, the potential is sky-high and each are under their rookie contracts.
By no means is Philly a bad place to coach, but the tempered expectations, financial flexibility, and blossoming youth in New Orleans makes the Pelicans a more attractive destination IMO
Pelicans should trade for Booker.
Really doubt the Lonzo Ingram Zion fit long term.
Ingram is a mid range dead eye who likes to have the ball and play SF. Zion likes to have the ball and play either PF or SF and over power people and Lonzo likes to have the ball and get assists.
All 3 players want the ball, all can shoot the 3 a little bit I wouldn’t exactly say give good spacing and all three will want good contracts.
I suggest trading a similar package of what the Lakers gave you for AD for Booker.
Give them Brandon Ingram (sign and trade), Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart and the 14th overall pick this year for Booker and Cam Johnson.
Suns get to build around Ball Ingram and Ayton with the likes of Rubio Oubre Hart plus two picks in this draft or can make trades.
Pelicans get to build around Booker and Zion who’s games I think work great together. Zion uses his size to beat people on the inside and Booker beats people on the outside while having a consistent shot to give Zion spacing.
From their the Pelicans still have assets to make another trade if they wanted with Holiday, Reddick, NAW and Hayes. I’d suggest a three team deal, Holiday to Nuggets, Gary Harris to Hornets, Terry Rozier a first round pick and Bol Bol to the Pelicans.
Pelicans get back a first for the one they gave up for Booker. Plus they add a younger PG that can shoot abit better and add Bol who has amazing potential.
Pelicans go from Ball Holiday Ingram Zion Hayes and NAW Hart and Reddick to ..
Rozier Booker Zion Bol Hayes and NAW Reddick Johnson.
ZW likes to make quick moves and the big-3 fit is fine. Not sure about either forward’s longterm health but they basically insure each other.
Booker would just mess things up, plus you have to give up value to get him. Also Ingram would have to approve of an S&T to Phoenix and why would he when he was in LA.
There is a lot of appeal to the Pels now, see how it works.
I don’t think the fit is great, Zo is very streaky to say the least about his shooting and on half court sets he is only useful with the ball in his hands. Ingram is a natural SF who is a midrange shooter. He also is best used as a primary ball handler giving you 25+ points. Having Ingram at SF makes Zion go to PF where he is shorter and can’t out muscle dudes as easily. Zion can give some spacing at the 4 but we all know his game is around the low block or on fast breaks.
The Pelicans 3 are good on fast breaks but in half court sets they don’t make much sense.
Booker would make so much more sense. Booker on the Suns has been a lot better now that he has decent players to share the ball with. Meaning he likes to share the ball and be apart of a 1-2 punch he’s not just a solo guy. Him and Zion would be insane. Zion down low working hard and then if he’s off you have Booker who can control things from the outside. Booker is also very clutch and between Book and Zion your going to attract a bunch more stars.
If Ingram agrees to a max with the Pelicans then he literally can’t sign anywhere else he has to take it. In which case after that is signed the Pelicans can flip him. He doesn’t really get any say. Plus I think personally he would rather be the leader in Phoenix with a bunch of other good young dudes than play second fiddle to Zion who gets all the attention. Lonzo in Phoenix would also be a great fit. He’s a good defender and would remind the fans of Steve Nash with his passing and stat lines.
True ZW is not an off-the-ball guy. I suspect Ingram will relax though once he gets the max.
Zion was off the ball at Duke. Basketball is a team gm. No one plays in NBA unless they learn that. No one is winning unless they learn that. The great players know this. Ball has barely played. His game is still getting better. Probably going to be 1st team D. Pels are super young. All they need to do is be patient. With their assets they can adjust on the fly. Holiday is a great chip they can move. Actually a shooter at SG fits perfectly. There’s no rush. Bogdanovic is a FA next yr. This is first yr Lonzo has really started. With Holiday there he’s still not first PG. Yet he’s played 32 mins a gm. His FG is .52% on 11 shots a gm. His 3pt FG is .37% which is solid. In 32 mins. 12 pts, 7 ast, 6.1 reb. 1.6 stl. Dude he’s on pace to be one of best 2 way PG in NBA. This is his first yr starting. He’s 6’ 7” and can be a great D player. And he runs a team with the best of them. He’s a CP3 type PG. The scoring not there yet. But it’s coming. I don’t know what your watching. To me he’s not ball dominant. He runs the point. Like a true PG. Means everyone gets easier shots. True That all three like putting it on the ground. That’s youth, they are still learning competition. Today’s NBA is more about wings. They have three solid ones. Who wouldn’t want that. A shooter does fit. But a young Redick would be fine. A shooter and D SG. Why does media or fans think Booker can be had. Why in the world would Suns give him up. If you were Suns fans.
I meant ZW is not especially good off the ball, is better with it. I’m sure he has a green light to shoot.