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Phoenix Suns assistant coach Willie Green could soon be named the next head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans.
Phoenix Suns assistant Willie Green has emerged as the strong frontrunner and the New Orleans Pelicans’ choice to become the franchise’s next head coach, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 12, 2021
Unlike the Stan Van Gundy hire close to a year ago, today’s news isn’t out of left field. Green has steadily been gaining traction behind the scenes as the favorite to fill the New Orleans head coaching vacancy.
I continue to hear from NBA sources Suns assistant coach Willie Green is the presumed next Pelicans head coach.
— Fletcher Mackel (@FletcherWDSU) July 11, 2021
While a deal is NOT done, plenty of mutual interest and I’m told, “Willie wants the New Orleans job and they want him.” pic.twitter.com/C7cNUMhDfy
Seemingly the only question remaining to be answered is, when will the formal announcement come from the Pelicans?
With the Suns and Milwaukee Bucks still in the midst of settling the 2021 NBA Finals, it’s quite possible that we may have to wait for this series to conclude. However, given the number of leaks over the past few days, there’s a growing chance that the Pelicans may decide to announce Willie Green as their head coach in the very near future and then hold an introductory press conference once the Phoenix’s season is over.
The Suns currently lead the Bucks 2-1, with Game 4 scheduled for this upcoming Wednesday.
New Orleans may soon have another reason to cheer for Phoenix to win the next NBA championship.
Stay tuned!
For more Pelicans talk, subscribe to The Bird Calls podcast feed on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts. You can follow this author on Twitter at @OlehKosel.