Pelicans Interview Alvin Gentry A Second Time

Could the New Orleans Pelicans be zeroing in on their next head coach?

According to multiple reports, New Orleans general manager Dell Demps and executive vice president Mickey Loomis recently conducted a second interview with Golden State Warriors associate head coach Alvin Gentry.

Gentry, who has over 35 years of coaching experience, was interviewed by the Pelicans less than two weeks ago.

Former New York Knicks and Houston Rockets head coach Jeff Van Gundy, now an ESPN NBA color commentator, has also interviewed for the job, and according to ESPN reporter Marc Stein, is an evenly leading candidate for the job, along with Gentry.

Gentry, 60, has been coaching at the college and NBA level since 1980, serving as head coach for 12 of those seasons (Miami Heat 1995, Detroit Pistons 1998-00, Los Angeles Clippers 2000-03, Phoenix Suns 2009-2013). He was an assistant for one season in New Orleans with the Hornets in 2003-2004.

In Gentry’s best season as a head coach he led the 54 win Suns to the Western Conference finals in 2010, using a quick paced offense, finishing 1rst in the league offensively, but 26th in the league defensively.

Van Gundy coached the Knicks from March of 1996 to December of 2001 when he resigned. New York made the postseason each of those years, including a trip to the NBA Finals in 1999 as the 8 seed in the East.

He was hired as head coach of the Houston Rockets in 2003, coaching the team the next 4 seasons before being fired after a first round playoff series loss to the Utah Jazz. Houston reached the playoffs in 3 of his 4 seasons with the squad, but never made it beyond the first round.

Van Gundy’s career record as an NBA coach is 430-318, with a playoff record of 44-44.