The New Orleans Pelicans are a young team who missed the playoffs, despite many expecting them to make the cut due to the presence of Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson on the roster. The talent is all there, but it just didn’t work out for them this season.
Stan Van Gundy is a well-known coach who notably go to the NBA Finals with Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic, before ultimately losing to the Los Angeles Lakers. He has the experience for the job, and it was definitely viewed as a solid option. However, Sam Amick has recently revealed that the players on the New Orleans Pelicans don’t seem to “vibe” with their coach very much.
Various sources have said there was tension between Van Gundy and his players during the season (typical of a new coach on a disappointing team). Sam Amick, The Athletic’s national NBA writer, alluded to that friction in a radio interview last week.
“In New Orleans, the players are not vibing with the coach,” Amick said on KHTK radio. “There’s issues there.”
There is no question that Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram are elite talents, and the coaching should focus on maximizing their stars. However, there is something to be said about the fact that this is only the first year that Van Gundy has coached, and that sometimes development takes time. Hopefully, Stan Van Gundy is able to figure things out and get Williamson a playoff appearance sooner rather than later.
