NBA News NBA News, Match Reports and Updates
While the Orlando Magic are just starting their search for a new head coach after firing Jamahl Mosley, Portland and New Orleans are further along in their searches — but those two teams are in very different places.
The Pelicans have narrowed down their list to four candidates, reports Sam Amick at The Athletic.
Advertisement
New Orleans has been deliberating over finalists Darvin Ham (a Bucks associate head coach under Rivers), Steve Hetzel (Brooklyn assistant), Sean Sweeney (San Antonio associate head coach) and Rajon Rondo (a coaching associate with the Bucks). Mosley has long been believed to be a possible candidate if he became available, but it’s unclear as of yet if he’ll be added to the list.
Rondo is an interesting name. The four-time All-Star point guard has been out of the league for four seasons and is on the radar of a number of general managers, but is he ready for that leap? It has long been expected in league circles that the Magic’s Mosley would move to the front of the line in New Orleans if Orlando moved on from him, which it did. Ham was a former head coach with the Lakers, and his name has come up as a possibility in Orlando’s coaching search.
While New Orleans is narrowing down the field, Portland continues to cast a very wide net, reports Amick.
As league sources said on Monday, the Trail Blazers have cast a net so wide that the list of candidates could be almost 20 coaches long and, in the end, will consist of names procured by both Dundon and general manager Joe Cronin. What’s more, league sources say, there is no clear messaging as of yet about a possible timeline on the hiring.
Advertisement
While Tiago Splitter did a good job taking over a team a couple of days into the season (after the arrest of Chauncy Billups on alleged gambling charges) and leading the Trail Blazers to a surprise playoff berth, league sources told NBC Sports he does not appear to be a favorite of new owner Tom Dundon, so the door is wide open. Then there is the lingering money question: Rumors circulated that Dundon was trying to get a coach to take the job for $1.5 million or less — mid-major college coach…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/report-pelicans-narrow-down-coaching-175154913.html
Author :
Publish date : 2026-05-05 17:51:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
