Finding the ideal match for each remaining NBA head coaching vacancy

The New Orleans Pelicans should hire Jeff Van Gundy.

If the New Orleans Pelicans are going to put it all together, they need someone who knows how to get in touch with their younger players while implementing a winning strategy. Many forget that before he became a color commentator for ESPN and ABC, Jeff Van Gundy took the New York Knicks to the NBA Finals as a head coach.

Though his impact in that position hasn’t been felt in recent years, Van Gundy has been a pivotal member of the Team USA basketball program. He’s a seasoned coach who tells it like it is while providing great insight for more inexperienced basketball players. Van Gundy was the head coach for the FIBA World Cup qualifiers and at the 2017 FIBA AmeriCup tournament.

There’s a reason why Gregg Popovich picked him to be a part of the staff for Team USA. Van Gundy knows his stuff and builds connections with the people he comes in touch with. This is the kind of coach who could potentially get in touch with New Orleans’ nucleus starring Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball. These are all players who have big question marks regarding their future in this league and ultimately, they need some guidance.

When these young players see a coach like Van Gundy who cares just as much about winning as they do, they could be galvanized. Beyond that, he’s capable and experienced with managing personalities in addition to putting his players in spots where they can succeed.

Back with the underdog New York Knicks in their 1999 Finals appearance, Van Gundy took a group that blended veteran leaders with up-and-coming talent and helped them become the fourth-ranked defense in the entire NBA.

Scoring shouldn’t be much a problem for this team. Getting a defense-oriented coach like Jeff Van Gundy in the door may bode well for a Pelicans team with playoff expectations for next year.