Report: Pelicans to Hire Willie Green as Next Head Coach

Green has been an assistant with the Suns for the past two seasons. He also spent 12 years as an NBA player.

Two weeks before the 2021 draft, it appears the Pelicans have found their next head coach.

On Tuesday, The Athletic's Shams Charania reported the Pelicans were planning to hire Suns assistant Willie Green as the franchise's next head coach. ESPN's Andrew Lopez and Adrian Wojnarwoski reported Wednesday that the deal is expected to be finalized later this week.

Green has been with the Suns for the past two seasons. He also spent the three seasons before that on the Warriors' coaching staff.

He is set to replace Stan Van Gundy, who parted ways with the organization in mid June after just one season with the franchise.

Green played 12 seasons in the NBA, including one season in New Orleans in 2010-11. As a player, he made the playoffs in seven of his 12 seasons, suiting up for five different teams throughout his career. 

At 39, he will be the NBA's third-youngest head coach behind the Thunder's Mark Daigneault (35) and the Grizzlies' Taylor Jenkins (36). 

Van Gundy, 61, was hired last October, but New Orleans struggled in 2020, going 31–41 and missing the playoffs for the third straight year. The team had reportedly been sold on Van Gundy's abilities as a teacher with a young roster, his history of building top defensive teams and his vision for the roster in place.

Green's ability to connect with players, as both a locker room presence dating to his playing days and his role on the bench, is also a reported reason for why he stood out.

"Being in a position where I have experienced a ton," Green told The Athletic in 2019. "I've been a starter. I've come off the bench. There's times where I haven't played at all. So I can relate to what the players are going through. I've also had some really good coaches (as a player), and learned from some really good coaches (as an assistant). Just trying to put all that together is kind of what I bring to the table. I was in their shoes. It's kind of easy to relate to when you've been there before."

It is unknown when news of Green's hiring will be official. Green and the Suns are still in the middle of the NBA Finals with Game 4 set for Wednesday night.