“Best Optionality”: Pelicans VP Has Complete Faith in the New Head Coach Stan Van Gundy

New Orleans Pelicans is a fairly young team in the NBA. They started out just one year before LeBron James entered the scene. In the 18 seasons that they have been around for, the Pelicans have entered the post-season just seven odd times. 

This information does not speak much about the kind of talent the team has attracted over the years. Players like Anthony Davis, Rajon Rondo, and JR Smith (the trio from the champion Lakers team) have earlier played here. Eric Gordon, Chris Paul, and many others have been associated with them. But the 2020 Pelicans appear to be the strongest for all the right reasons. 

The entry of a dynamic new coach at the Pelicans

The Pelicans had two forgetful seasons from 2018 to 2020,  where they finished 13th in the western conference. This led to the firing of coach Alvin Gentry, who could help the team reach the postseason only once in past five years. They took their time to fill the vacant position and finally found a match.

The Pelicans’ VP David Griffin gave an interview where he said, “We really got a good team of people that they were about all the right things in the process. Nobody had anybody that they were representing more than anybody else. It was, just find the right person and it started with a list of characteristics we cared about & certainly Stan checked pretty much all of those boxes.”

Griffin then hinted at the importance of the coming season and the intention to keep Stan for long. Griffin added, “No matter what kind of team we are in the short term, no matter what happens in terms of the salary cap, whatever deals present themselves, whatever happens in the draft, Stan gives us the best optionality in terms of being good in the future in a sustainable way & being good in the here and now and that teaching element in Stan spoke most to us with the young roster.”

Stan Van Gundy has a young roster to coach

The Pelicans are studded with key players like Zion Williamson, Lonzo Ball, Frank Jackson, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Zion was their treasure in his rookie season, but the knee injury limited him and as a result, the Pelicans failed to utilize their best asset. Assuming that their complete roster will play the full season, they look like a pretty good side. 

Stan Van Gundy has earlier worked as an assistant coach for the Miami Heat for eight seasons. He later moved to coach Orlando Magic and helped them become the EC Champions in 2009. The only problem with his CV is the fact that he has been off the job for two years after leaving the Pistons in 2018. 

Can he prove better than the legendary player Byron Scott who earlier coached the Pelicans?