Pelicans Head Coach Search Won't Be Rushed, Current Assistant One Of Several Candidates

The New Orleans Pelicans has fired head coach Alvin Gentry after the club missed the NBA playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons. The Pels are now skimming the market for candidates to succeed the 65-year-old coach, who took over the reins in 2015.

Under Gentry, the best finish New Orleans had was during the 2017-18 season. After sweeping the Portland Trail Blazers, the Pels succumbed to the Golden State Warriors. He leaves with a 175-225 record for New Orleans.

“The wins and losses have very little to do with this,” Pelicans executive vice president for basketball operations David Griffin said during a video media conference. “This is really about the process. This is about the shared vision of how we’re going to go forward and what this looks like as we build.”

Griffin also mentioned that they will not rush into finding a new head coach. He plans to use a deliberate approach and check out potential candidates from team staffs.

No names were mentioned, but it appears there is already one on the list — current assistant coach Chris Finch.

“Some of those individuals potentially will be head coaching candidates elsewhere — Chris Finch certainly among them. And we feel strongly about Chris. He’ll be part of our conversation moving forward. And it’s our intention that many of our staffers here will continue with the next regime in some form,” Griffin said.

But elsewhere, it appears more names are being linked to the Pelicans head coaching vacancy. The names include Tyronn Lue and Jason Kidd, who are expected to be prime candidates, Marc Stein of The New York Times learned from league sources.

Aside from those, the name of current Houston Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni has been suggested. The 69-year-old could be headed out the door, especially once the Rockets (and if) the Rockets are eliminated, according to Kurt Helin of NBC Sports. His contract will expire at the end of the season, and both sides have not agreed to an extension.

Gentry may have been put in a spot following the Anthony Davis trade. Though he was able to inherit Zion Williamson and bring out the best in Brandon Ingram, his effort was not enough. Gentry had a slew of young talent at his disposal, but the Pelicans felt the setup was just not delivering.