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the only thing that I didn't like about the M&N Swingman is the type of mesh they used. never liked the enormous see thru holes they have and made them feel and look cheap.
⭐ OFFICIAL 2020-2021 NBA Off-Season Thread: Olympics begin 7/23; NBA Draft 7/29⭐
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by MVP,
- Start date
- Status
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Grant Hill Detroit Pistons Mitchell & Ness Youth 1998-99 Hardwood Classics Swingman Jersey - Teal
Grant Hill Detroit Pistons Mitchell & Ness Youth 1998-99 Hardwood Classics Swingman Jersey - Teal is in stock now at Fanatics.com. Everything for the Fan.
elpablo21
Supporter
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M&N pressed authentics are fire. At least on my Largent the quality is dope
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They gave him what he wanted and traded him. It was the Mavericks who called his bluff because he originally said he was still signing the QO when he got to Dallas too. They weren’t on his “list” of teams he asked to go to.
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I should have put could in there.
He wasn't turning down 158 million guaranteed dollars from anyone and signing that QO with his knees
If the Knicks offered it he would have signed it and the Mavericks should have at least got the injury protections.
We rolled over for no reason, he had no leverage
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We’ve had this QO discussion with every young franchise player.
Personally I’ll believe it when I see it.
Personally I’ll believe it when I see it.
millzszn93
formerly nikeairmillz93
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Simmons so disappointing
elpablo21
Supporter
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Wrong thread
Last edited:
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SneakerProSr.
Thoughts on Finley getting the gig?
I want to see him get a shot, but that feels like it would signal Cuban getting back too heavily involved.
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Meanwhile, in Serbia:
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That philly collapse worse than my Lakers choking game 4 away to the Celtics in the 2008 finals. Damn that was sad to watch
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A good read:
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riding to the US Post Office to pick up his MVP trophy?
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Edit:
Yikes.
Last edited:
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Donnie was the guy that scouted Luka from the time he was 14. Of course they're close.
But zoom out and he's also the guy that surrounded you with the talent you've had for 3 years now and the guy that struggled to put anything ultra-competitive around Dirk more than like 3 years of his career.
He drafted Dirk. He drafted Luka. He wanted Giannis. That's three big, big booms. Everything else? Eh.
Was time.
But zoom out and he's also the guy that surrounded you with the talent you've had for 3 years now and the guy that struggled to put anything ultra-competitive around Dirk more than like 3 years of his career.
He drafted Dirk. He drafted Luka. He wanted Giannis. That's three big, big booms. Everything else? Eh.
Was time.
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Mavericks GM Donnie Nelson got fired after stalemate with Mark Cuban. What’s next for Dallas — and Luka Doncic?
Donnie Nelson’s concerns were clear.
After 16 years as the head of the Dallas Mavericks’ front office, from Dirk Nowitzki’s one-of-a-kind run to the Luka Doncic era that has shown so much similar promise, Nelson had begun to wonder if he was truly in charge of the team’s roster or coaching staff anymore. But when he relayed these fears to owner Mark Cuban, sharing his growing belief that Haralabos Voulgaris, the former professional gambler who served as the team’s director of quantitative research and development, was encroaching on his influence over personnel moves and strategy, the course correction that he’d never hoped for arrived.
Nelson had wanted Voulgaris to stay in his proverbial lane, to avoid overstepping the bounds of his role and focus on being a trusted adviser to Cuban whose analytics-based views would always be taken into account. Dallas would have preferred to project stability ahead of a crucial summer in which Doncic was eligible for a supermax contract extension he indicated a desire to sign. Instead, within the front office, there was turmoil and dysfunction.
As the Mavericks announced on Wednesday, just two days after The Athletic’s report about the friction in the Dallas front office that Cuban had publicly called “total ********,” Nelson is out. While the organization said in its release that Nelson and the Mavericks had “mutually agreed to part ways,” a source close to the situation said Nelson was fired on Sunday. He had spent 24 years working for the organization.
Voulgaris’ contract expires this summer, and his continued employment with the team remains uncertain. When asked about the matter Wednesday evening, Cuban told The Athletic he “won’t talk about individual deals. Never do.” But it’s expected any continued role would be the same he has held.
Voulgaris never angled to usurp Nelson as the formal leader atop the front office’s organizational chart, team sources say, a role involving constant conversations with other executives around the league as the main figure for transactions which doesn’t fit his analytical strengths. But as his influence grew within the organization, perceptions around the league began to shift toward him gaining authority. From Nelson’s perspective, lines were clearly crossed.
As one rival team executive shared Wednesday, there were times when talking to the Mavericks about trade possibilities meant inevitable confusion. Nelson would paint one picture, so to speak, discussing the possible pieces and players involved in an attempt to get a deal done. But Voulgaris, who this rival executive said had talked to his team simultaneously about a particular deal, would tell a different story. And because Voulgaris was widely known to have a direct line to Cuban, this dynamic was seen by Nelson as damaging to his credibility. When asked over the phone about this assertion on Wednesday, Cuban refuted the idea that Voulgaris had negatively impacted the process.
“At multiple levels of the front office, multiple people have ongoing conversations,” Cuban said. “Scouts, assistant general managers, anybody and everybody. Player development people, everybody (has) conversations with people in other organizations to get information and find out what they’re up to, just like they have conversations with Donnie.
“We have people top to bottom with other teams and other teams have conversations with us. We take input and that goes into all of the final decision-making. But that’s no different than (any other) team. … And no one has any more influence because it comes down to us agreeing on it. Or me agreeing on it. That’s just how it works. And only Donnie initiated trades.”
While Cuban may view such speculative calls as being business as usual, multiple team sources still voiced concern about Voulgaris’ perceived influence around the league contributing to the team’s dysfunction. The overarching concern of these sources is how it might impact the team’s ability to maintain Doncic’s desire to remain here long-term. Doncic told reporters at a Slovenian national team press conference held Thursday that it was difficult to hear about Nelson’s departure, who sources confirm he held a good, long-standing relationship with since meeting him as a teenager. “But I’m not the one making decisions,” he said.
Despite Doncic’s previously reported dislike for Voulgaris, sources close to Doncic insisted Wednesday he still intends to sign the supermax extension before next season, worth more than $200 million over five years following the final season of his rookie contract.
The Mavericks have now opened a formal search for their next general manager, which will be spearheaded by the oft-used Sportsology consulting firm run by Mike Forde (first reported by ESPN). They will also consider Michael Finley, an internal candidate who team sources say has taken a larger role in the team in the past months as Nelson’s departure began to seem possible.
Finley, who spent nine seasons playing for the Mavericks after being traded from Phoenix in 1997 and who later won a championship with San Antonio in 2007, was hired to the front office in 2012 and formally began his role as vice president of basketball operations in 2014. He has often been described as someone being groomed to run the team in glowing profiles written about him. Following Voulgaris’ February incident with Doncic, Cuban stopped sitting next to Voulgaris at home games and would often be seen in a new location on the baseline sitting with Finley. They also sat next to each other at the Staples Center during the season-ending Game 7 defeat against the Clippers.
Whatever happens in the future, it’s clear the team’s departure from a longstanding franchise stalwart in Nelson was far less ceremonious than anyone desired. Nelson may have helped build the Mavericks as they exist today, but his departure from the team was announced with little more than a four-paragraph press release.
“I just want to thank Donnie for his 24 years of service to this organization,” Cuban said in the release. “Donnie has been instrumental to our success and helped bring a championship to Dallas. His hard work, creativity and vision made him a pioneer. Donnie will always be a part of the Mavs family and I wish him all the best.”
Donnie Nelson’s concerns were clear.
After 16 years as the head of the Dallas Mavericks’ front office, from Dirk Nowitzki’s one-of-a-kind run to the Luka Doncic era that has shown so much similar promise, Nelson had begun to wonder if he was truly in charge of the team’s roster or coaching staff anymore. But when he relayed these fears to owner Mark Cuban, sharing his growing belief that Haralabos Voulgaris, the former professional gambler who served as the team’s director of quantitative research and development, was encroaching on his influence over personnel moves and strategy, the course correction that he’d never hoped for arrived.
Nelson had wanted Voulgaris to stay in his proverbial lane, to avoid overstepping the bounds of his role and focus on being a trusted adviser to Cuban whose analytics-based views would always be taken into account. Dallas would have preferred to project stability ahead of a crucial summer in which Doncic was eligible for a supermax contract extension he indicated a desire to sign. Instead, within the front office, there was turmoil and dysfunction.
As the Mavericks announced on Wednesday, just two days after The Athletic’s report about the friction in the Dallas front office that Cuban had publicly called “total ********,” Nelson is out. While the organization said in its release that Nelson and the Mavericks had “mutually agreed to part ways,” a source close to the situation said Nelson was fired on Sunday. He had spent 24 years working for the organization.
Voulgaris’ contract expires this summer, and his continued employment with the team remains uncertain. When asked about the matter Wednesday evening, Cuban told The Athletic he “won’t talk about individual deals. Never do.” But it’s expected any continued role would be the same he has held.
Voulgaris never angled to usurp Nelson as the formal leader atop the front office’s organizational chart, team sources say, a role involving constant conversations with other executives around the league as the main figure for transactions which doesn’t fit his analytical strengths. But as his influence grew within the organization, perceptions around the league began to shift toward him gaining authority. From Nelson’s perspective, lines were clearly crossed.
As one rival team executive shared Wednesday, there were times when talking to the Mavericks about trade possibilities meant inevitable confusion. Nelson would paint one picture, so to speak, discussing the possible pieces and players involved in an attempt to get a deal done. But Voulgaris, who this rival executive said had talked to his team simultaneously about a particular deal, would tell a different story. And because Voulgaris was widely known to have a direct line to Cuban, this dynamic was seen by Nelson as damaging to his credibility. When asked over the phone about this assertion on Wednesday, Cuban refuted the idea that Voulgaris had negatively impacted the process.
“At multiple levels of the front office, multiple people have ongoing conversations,” Cuban said. “Scouts, assistant general managers, anybody and everybody. Player development people, everybody (has) conversations with people in other organizations to get information and find out what they’re up to, just like they have conversations with Donnie.
“We have people top to bottom with other teams and other teams have conversations with us. We take input and that goes into all of the final decision-making. But that’s no different than (any other) team. … And no one has any more influence because it comes down to us agreeing on it. Or me agreeing on it. That’s just how it works. And only Donnie initiated trades.”
While Cuban may view such speculative calls as being business as usual, multiple team sources still voiced concern about Voulgaris’ perceived influence around the league contributing to the team’s dysfunction. The overarching concern of these sources is how it might impact the team’s ability to maintain Doncic’s desire to remain here long-term. Doncic told reporters at a Slovenian national team press conference held Thursday that it was difficult to hear about Nelson’s departure, who sources confirm he held a good, long-standing relationship with since meeting him as a teenager. “But I’m not the one making decisions,” he said.
Despite Doncic’s previously reported dislike for Voulgaris, sources close to Doncic insisted Wednesday he still intends to sign the supermax extension before next season, worth more than $200 million over five years following the final season of his rookie contract.
The Mavericks have now opened a formal search for their next general manager, which will be spearheaded by the oft-used Sportsology consulting firm run by Mike Forde (first reported by ESPN). They will also consider Michael Finley, an internal candidate who team sources say has taken a larger role in the team in the past months as Nelson’s departure began to seem possible.
Finley, who spent nine seasons playing for the Mavericks after being traded from Phoenix in 1997 and who later won a championship with San Antonio in 2007, was hired to the front office in 2012 and formally began his role as vice president of basketball operations in 2014. He has often been described as someone being groomed to run the team in glowing profiles written about him. Following Voulgaris’ February incident with Doncic, Cuban stopped sitting next to Voulgaris at home games and would often be seen in a new location on the baseline sitting with Finley. They also sat next to each other at the Staples Center during the season-ending Game 7 defeat against the Clippers.
Whatever happens in the future, it’s clear the team’s departure from a longstanding franchise stalwart in Nelson was far less ceremonious than anyone desired. Nelson may have helped build the Mavericks as they exist today, but his departure from the team was announced with little more than a four-paragraph press release.
“I just want to thank Donnie for his 24 years of service to this organization,” Cuban said in the release. “Donnie has been instrumental to our success and helped bring a championship to Dallas. His hard work, creativity and vision made him a pioneer. Donnie will always be a part of the Mavs family and I wish him all the best.”
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Inside the end of Stan Van Gundy with the Pelicans and an ongoing battle to keep Zion Williamson happy
Parting ways with Stan Van Gundy after just one season is not the biggest problem facing the New Orleans Pelicans. They have been unable to put together the right elements to make rising star Zion Williamson and his family happy, and multiple sources have told The Athletic that certain family members want Williamson on another team.
For months, sources from all NBA corners have pointed to the Pelicans as a heap of dysfunction. There was a growing unease between Van Gundy and his players, and Van Gundy and the New Orleans front office, which came to a head Wednesday with the veteran coach and organization agreeing to part ways with three years left on his contract. Most of the attention, however, from numerous sources across the league, has centered on Williamson’s family members’ thinly veiled unhappiness with the Pelicans, and whether those feelings seeped into the player’s own views.
At his end of season press conference, his frustrations were made evident. “It’s disappointing. I’d be lying to you if I said anything else,” Williamson said, when addressing the team’s performance this year. “It’s very disappointing. But the best thing we can do is regroup, come together as a team, come together as coaches this offseason, talk and do what we need to do to be better next year. It’s not much to it, we just gotta be better.”
The Pelicans control Williamson’s contract situation for at least three more years after making him the No. 1 overall pick of the 2019 draft. Those who know Williamson well say he just wants to win and compete at the highest level. They say he remains focused on basketball and helping New Orleans win next season. Over his first two seasons, Williamson has already established himself as an All-Star forward whose affable, carefree and passionate style on the court makes him a fan-favorite. A franchise that three seasons ago had to deal with Anthony Davis’ trade demands, which began with grumblings from Davis’ father, the Pelicans know not to misread the tea leaves here. No one as young and as inexperienced as Williamson has tried to force their way out via trade before. Across the league, however, it has become common practice among veteran NBA stars to do just that.
During the training camp portion of the NBA’s season restart at Disney last season, Williamson was dealing with a minor leg injury, to the point where it had forced him out of portions of Pelicans practice. Shortly after that, he left the bubble for what both the team and player would only say was an “urgent family medical matter.” Neither the team nor family ever disclosed what the issue was. Two sources with knowledge of Zion’s absence said there was an issue, but questioned the urgency to leave the bubble, which kept him away from the team for about a week.
The Pels made changes to their support staff to fit Williamson’s wishes over the offseason, and he returned in much better physical condition. But for most of this season, certain Williamson family members voiced displeasure with the organization. Among the targets of their criticism was Van Gundy, who they felt was too rigid and demanding as head coach, but also with the organization, which they claim did not live up to what they felt should be the standard for a star like Williamson. Numerous opposing league executives had heard the complaints, and they were confirmed by Pelicans officials.
When the Pels traded J.J. Redick to Dallas in March, it not only upset Redick but also is said to have irritated Williamson. Redick had asked to either be traded before the season or to stay in New Orleans all season for family reasons and proceeded to blast the organization and executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin on his podcast after the trade. Redick was a veteran with whom Williamson had grown comfortable in their two seasons together, and the dysfunction Redick accused the Pelicans of harboring is said to have stoked some of Williamson’s own feelings with regards to the direction of the franchise.
“I don’t think you’re going to get honesty from that (New Orleans) front office, objectively speaking,” Redick said after the trade, echoing the exact line of criticism people close to Williamson had levied against the Pelicans. “That’s an opinion. I just don’t think you’re gonna get that. I don’t think what happened with me is necessarily an isolated incident. It’s not something where I would expect certainly the agents who worked on this with me to ever trust that front office again.”
After a game at Madison Square Garden in April, Williamson was asked about playing his first game as a pro in New York. He flashed that multi-million-dollar smile and said: “I’m glad you asked that, actually. New York is the Mecca of basketball. I love playing here. I’ve played here in college. This is my first time playing here in the pros. This atmosphere, whether they are cheering for you or booing for you, it’s amazing. Honestly, outside of New Orleans, obviously, I think this might be my favorite place to play outside of New Orleans.”
After Williamson said it, Pelicans officials were quick to point to “outside of New Orleans” as evidence he didn’t actually want to leave.
Van Gundy, 61, who has now served as a head coach for four teams and compiled a 554-425 record over 13 seasons, informed his coaching staff in a face-to-face meeting Wednesday that he would not return. Assistants said they were going through pre-draft workouts and not expecting this news.
On a late-season bus trip, Van Gundy was venting frustrations to an assistant after a loss. According to Van Gundy, someone who overheard the conversation reported back to Griffin that Van Gundy was so frustrated that he might not return. Also, leading up to the final weekend of the regular season, a meeting between Van Gundy and Griffin did not go well — with dozens of sources chatting about it after it happened.
Van Gundy guided the Pelicans to a 31-41 record in his lone season. He was hired to replace Alvin Gentry, who was fired after the Pelicans didn’t make the playoffs in Williamson’s first pro season. Throughout the season, Van Gundy’s coaching style grated on the roster, creating questions about whether he was the proper hire for a young, up-and-coming team.
Sources indicated that Brandon Ingram, an All-Star under Gentry, was not a fan of Van Gundy’s coaching style. Ingram openly talked about the way Van Gundy used Williamson and him in certain offensive sets and how they rarely worked together to get each other easier looks.
Van Gundy was also unhappy for large portions of the season, exasperated over how much difficulty he was having getting the young core to buy into a commitment to defense. Van Gundy and his wife relocated to New Orleans from central Florida, where they lived full time after his job with the Detroit Pistons ended following the 2018 season. He was working as a TV analyst for TNT when the Pelicans hired him in October.
Two potential in-house candidates to replace Van Gundy are assistants Fred Vinson and Teresa Weatherspoon, though Griffin said during his news conference Wednesday that her candidacy was “premature.” If hired, of course, Weatherspoon would not just be the first woman full-time head coach in the NBA, but in any major American men’s professional sport. Outside candidates likely to get a look include Chauncey Billups, currently a Clippers assistant, and Jacque Vaughn, an assistant in Brooklyn.
Vinson, who is interested in the job, is the longest-tenured coach on the staff, having worked in New Orleans since 2010, and gained notice recently for the work he’s done with Ingram and Lonzo Ball on their jump shots.
“When I came here, my shot wasn’t working,” Ball said after a win over Houston in April where he hit a career-high eight 3-pointers. “Pretty much all the credit goes to Fred (Vinson). We have been grinding ever since and now you can see the work paying off.”
Along with their search for a new head coach, the Pelicans have some major decisions this summer concerning two of the better young players on the roster.
Ball and Josh Hart could be heading into restricted free agency, and both will be looking for lucrative new deals after the growth they’ve shown during the past two seasons in New Orleans.
Ball and Hart were traded to New Orleans as part of the blockbuster Davis deal in 2019 and were given an opportunity to play substantial roles as core pieces next to franchise cornerstones Williamson and Ingram.
Hart has become one of the loudest voices for a young team that has lacked forceful leadership, and his presence was severely missed during the final 25 games of the regular season as he recovered from thumb surgery.
Ball has also developed a strong bond with Williamson and Ingram over time, and both franchise players lobbied for him to return next season during their end-of-season pressers in May — something to consider if indeed Williamson’s happiness in New Orleans is in question.
“It’d be dope. Me, Brandon and Zo, the three of us have a great relationship,” Williamson said. “I really would want Zo to come back. He knows that. But you know, like I said, the reality of the situation is Zo is a grown man, so he’ll make the decision that’s best for him. The only thing I can say is, I hope he stays.”
Ingram added, “In my exit meeting, I talked a lot about (Ball and Hart), especially Zo. I think he’s a generational talent in his passing ability. The things he sees on the basketball floor that nobody else sees, how he can manipulate the game and on the defensive end, his anticipation.”
The Pels will also look to see if they can trade either Eric Bledsoe, Steven Adams or both. The two aging vets will tie up $35 million in cap space next season.
Parting ways with Stan Van Gundy after just one season is not the biggest problem facing the New Orleans Pelicans. They have been unable to put together the right elements to make rising star Zion Williamson and his family happy, and multiple sources have told The Athletic that certain family members want Williamson on another team.
For months, sources from all NBA corners have pointed to the Pelicans as a heap of dysfunction. There was a growing unease between Van Gundy and his players, and Van Gundy and the New Orleans front office, which came to a head Wednesday with the veteran coach and organization agreeing to part ways with three years left on his contract. Most of the attention, however, from numerous sources across the league, has centered on Williamson’s family members’ thinly veiled unhappiness with the Pelicans, and whether those feelings seeped into the player’s own views.
At his end of season press conference, his frustrations were made evident. “It’s disappointing. I’d be lying to you if I said anything else,” Williamson said, when addressing the team’s performance this year. “It’s very disappointing. But the best thing we can do is regroup, come together as a team, come together as coaches this offseason, talk and do what we need to do to be better next year. It’s not much to it, we just gotta be better.”
The Pelicans control Williamson’s contract situation for at least three more years after making him the No. 1 overall pick of the 2019 draft. Those who know Williamson well say he just wants to win and compete at the highest level. They say he remains focused on basketball and helping New Orleans win next season. Over his first two seasons, Williamson has already established himself as an All-Star forward whose affable, carefree and passionate style on the court makes him a fan-favorite. A franchise that three seasons ago had to deal with Anthony Davis’ trade demands, which began with grumblings from Davis’ father, the Pelicans know not to misread the tea leaves here. No one as young and as inexperienced as Williamson has tried to force their way out via trade before. Across the league, however, it has become common practice among veteran NBA stars to do just that.
During the training camp portion of the NBA’s season restart at Disney last season, Williamson was dealing with a minor leg injury, to the point where it had forced him out of portions of Pelicans practice. Shortly after that, he left the bubble for what both the team and player would only say was an “urgent family medical matter.” Neither the team nor family ever disclosed what the issue was. Two sources with knowledge of Zion’s absence said there was an issue, but questioned the urgency to leave the bubble, which kept him away from the team for about a week.
The Pels made changes to their support staff to fit Williamson’s wishes over the offseason, and he returned in much better physical condition. But for most of this season, certain Williamson family members voiced displeasure with the organization. Among the targets of their criticism was Van Gundy, who they felt was too rigid and demanding as head coach, but also with the organization, which they claim did not live up to what they felt should be the standard for a star like Williamson. Numerous opposing league executives had heard the complaints, and they were confirmed by Pelicans officials.
When the Pels traded J.J. Redick to Dallas in March, it not only upset Redick but also is said to have irritated Williamson. Redick had asked to either be traded before the season or to stay in New Orleans all season for family reasons and proceeded to blast the organization and executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin on his podcast after the trade. Redick was a veteran with whom Williamson had grown comfortable in their two seasons together, and the dysfunction Redick accused the Pelicans of harboring is said to have stoked some of Williamson’s own feelings with regards to the direction of the franchise.
“I don’t think you’re going to get honesty from that (New Orleans) front office, objectively speaking,” Redick said after the trade, echoing the exact line of criticism people close to Williamson had levied against the Pelicans. “That’s an opinion. I just don’t think you’re gonna get that. I don’t think what happened with me is necessarily an isolated incident. It’s not something where I would expect certainly the agents who worked on this with me to ever trust that front office again.”
After a game at Madison Square Garden in April, Williamson was asked about playing his first game as a pro in New York. He flashed that multi-million-dollar smile and said: “I’m glad you asked that, actually. New York is the Mecca of basketball. I love playing here. I’ve played here in college. This is my first time playing here in the pros. This atmosphere, whether they are cheering for you or booing for you, it’s amazing. Honestly, outside of New Orleans, obviously, I think this might be my favorite place to play outside of New Orleans.”
After Williamson said it, Pelicans officials were quick to point to “outside of New Orleans” as evidence he didn’t actually want to leave.
Van Gundy, 61, who has now served as a head coach for four teams and compiled a 554-425 record over 13 seasons, informed his coaching staff in a face-to-face meeting Wednesday that he would not return. Assistants said they were going through pre-draft workouts and not expecting this news.
On a late-season bus trip, Van Gundy was venting frustrations to an assistant after a loss. According to Van Gundy, someone who overheard the conversation reported back to Griffin that Van Gundy was so frustrated that he might not return. Also, leading up to the final weekend of the regular season, a meeting between Van Gundy and Griffin did not go well — with dozens of sources chatting about it after it happened.
Van Gundy guided the Pelicans to a 31-41 record in his lone season. He was hired to replace Alvin Gentry, who was fired after the Pelicans didn’t make the playoffs in Williamson’s first pro season. Throughout the season, Van Gundy’s coaching style grated on the roster, creating questions about whether he was the proper hire for a young, up-and-coming team.
Sources indicated that Brandon Ingram, an All-Star under Gentry, was not a fan of Van Gundy’s coaching style. Ingram openly talked about the way Van Gundy used Williamson and him in certain offensive sets and how they rarely worked together to get each other easier looks.
Van Gundy was also unhappy for large portions of the season, exasperated over how much difficulty he was having getting the young core to buy into a commitment to defense. Van Gundy and his wife relocated to New Orleans from central Florida, where they lived full time after his job with the Detroit Pistons ended following the 2018 season. He was working as a TV analyst for TNT when the Pelicans hired him in October.
Two potential in-house candidates to replace Van Gundy are assistants Fred Vinson and Teresa Weatherspoon, though Griffin said during his news conference Wednesday that her candidacy was “premature.” If hired, of course, Weatherspoon would not just be the first woman full-time head coach in the NBA, but in any major American men’s professional sport. Outside candidates likely to get a look include Chauncey Billups, currently a Clippers assistant, and Jacque Vaughn, an assistant in Brooklyn.
Vinson, who is interested in the job, is the longest-tenured coach on the staff, having worked in New Orleans since 2010, and gained notice recently for the work he’s done with Ingram and Lonzo Ball on their jump shots.
“When I came here, my shot wasn’t working,” Ball said after a win over Houston in April where he hit a career-high eight 3-pointers. “Pretty much all the credit goes to Fred (Vinson). We have been grinding ever since and now you can see the work paying off.”
Along with their search for a new head coach, the Pelicans have some major decisions this summer concerning two of the better young players on the roster.
Ball and Josh Hart could be heading into restricted free agency, and both will be looking for lucrative new deals after the growth they’ve shown during the past two seasons in New Orleans.
Ball and Hart were traded to New Orleans as part of the blockbuster Davis deal in 2019 and were given an opportunity to play substantial roles as core pieces next to franchise cornerstones Williamson and Ingram.
Hart has become one of the loudest voices for a young team that has lacked forceful leadership, and his presence was severely missed during the final 25 games of the regular season as he recovered from thumb surgery.
Ball has also developed a strong bond with Williamson and Ingram over time, and both franchise players lobbied for him to return next season during their end-of-season pressers in May — something to consider if indeed Williamson’s happiness in New Orleans is in question.
“It’d be dope. Me, Brandon and Zo, the three of us have a great relationship,” Williamson said. “I really would want Zo to come back. He knows that. But you know, like I said, the reality of the situation is Zo is a grown man, so he’ll make the decision that’s best for him. The only thing I can say is, I hope he stays.”
Ingram added, “In my exit meeting, I talked a lot about (Ball and Hart), especially Zo. I think he’s a generational talent in his passing ability. The things he sees on the basketball floor that nobody else sees, how he can manipulate the game and on the defensive end, his anticipation.”
The Pels will also look to see if they can trade either Eric Bledsoe, Steven Adams or both. The two aging vets will tie up $35 million in cap space next season.
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- 128,936
Nice to know New Orleans is still a **** show. 
Chris Paul, Anthony Davis, Zion, it doesn't matter.
Chris Paul, Anthony Davis, Zion, it doesn't matter.
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- 10,780
Can't believe teams still don't learn their lesson of hiring Doc Rivers. The guy has been blessed with stacked up teams with stars and still don't know how to win. Done it with Celtics, Clippers and now Sixers. He's lucky that he got 1 championship thanks to the Boston 4.
- 146,996
- 179,155
Nice to know New Orleans is still a **** show.
Chris Paul, Anthony Davis, Zion, it doesn't matter.
David Griffin's been looking funny in the light recently...
- Status
