With nearly two weeks having passed since the firing of Stan Van Gundy, little has leaked of the Pelicans’ search for a replacement. No reports of any interviews with candidates have leaked, but reports of frontrunner candidates have emerged.
The latest report from NOLA.com’s Christian Clark notes that Brooklyn assistant Jacque Vaughn and Milwaukee assistant Charles Lee were the top candidates:
“At this stage, there are two candidates who are viewed as the strongest contenders to get the job, league sources said: Brooklyn Nets assistant Jacque Vaughn and Milwaukee Bucks assistant Charles Lee.”
Vaughn’s strong candidacy is not new as ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported something similar in recent days. Lee is another intriguing candidate with similarities to Vaughn. Both are younger candidates than the last two coaches for New Orleans in Van Gundy and Alvin Gentry.
Lee does not have the head coaching experience that Vaughn does. After spending two years as an assistant at his alma mater Bucknell, Lee spent four seasons as an assistant with the Hawks before joining the Bucks’ staff in 2018.
Both candidates would be player coaches, a change from Van Gundy who had a stressed relationship with his players. But as important as it is to find a coach that can relate to the players, it’s equally important for the Pelicans to do it quickly.
