Two people familiar with the situation say Stan Van Gondy has agreed to become the next coach of New Orleans Pelicans, as he will have the opportunity to work with the overall # 1 draft pick Zion Williamson.
Van Gondi agreed to a four-year contract, according to one person who spoke Wednesday to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the hiring was not made public.
In New Orleans, Van Gondi will replace Alvin Gentry, who was abandoned after the Pelicans missed the playoffs this season. Part of the swans problem this season is that Williamson misses most of the season. He averaged 22.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game at 58% shooting, albeit in only 24 games.
The Swans were 30-42 years old last season. They have a promising young core with Williamson, more advanced player Brandon Ingram, Jackson Hayes and Nickel Alexander Walker plus four picks in this year’s draft.
Van Gondi spent parts of 12 seasons coaching Miami, Orlando and Detroit, winning 58% of his matches and appearing in the qualifiers eight times. He was Dwyane Wade’s first coach in Miami, then resigned from the Heat’s 21-game assignment in the 2005-06 season – the year Miami won its first championship.
He won 66% of his matches in five seasons in Orlando, taking Magic to the 2009 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers and going to playoffs in each of those seasons. Then his four Detroit seasons were pretty tough – three losing seasons, the best year in that series was the 44-38 season as it swept the Pistons from the playoffs.
Van Gundy recently worked as an NBA Analyst at Turner Sports.
Shears: The Los Angeles Clippers confirmed the hiring of Tyrone Law to replace Doc Rivers as coach. Lue spent the last season as an assistant on the Rivers. Rivers coached the Clippers for the past seven seasons and is now leading the Philadelphia 76ers.
The team was expected to present Lue approximately on Wednesday. Lawrence Frank, chief of basketball operations team, said the Clippers did “thorough” research.
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