The Pelicans on Saturday formalized coach Alvin Gentry's "long-rumored departure," marking the first time Exec VP/Basketball Operations David Griffin "will have an opportunity to select a coach in his vision, and the first time [Owner] Gayle Benson can demonstrate her commitment with her checkbook," according to Scott Kushner of NOLA.com. This job is "a lot more attractive than the market, record or history would indicate it to be." In a league where "getting great players is a lot harder than getting great coaches, the Pelicans have a better pitch than almost every other franchise in its class." It is tough to predict at the moment who the Pelicans will hire because Griffin "seems rigidly open to the possibilities of those lining up in front of him," meaning the process is "unlikely to go down hastily" (NOLA.com, 8/15). THE ATHLETIC's Jeff Duncan wrote Griffin is "about to make the most important hire of his life." Whomever he picks to be the next Pelicans coach "will define his career," and Griffin "can't afford to miss on this one." The Pelicans "need to hit on this coach" the way Saints Exec VP & GM Mickey Loomis did on Sean Payton and "give fans a reason to believe again" (THEATHLETIC.com, 8/15).
TAKING IT SLOW: The Bulls on Friday fired coach Jim Boylen, and in Chicago, Paul Sullivan wrote waiting four months to do so "says a lot about the new savior of the Bulls front office," Exec VP/Basketball Operations Arturas Karnisovas, who "said Friday he did his due diligence before coming to the ultimate conclusion a new voice was necessary." Boylen "had few supporters outside the Reinsdorfs," so "maybe it was prudent for Karnisovas to take his time." No one was "hurt by his show of patience, and no one he wants to hire as Boylen's replacement was scarfed up during the evaluation process." Now it is up to Karnisovas and GM Mark Eversley to "undo the damage of the GarPax era and try to reboot the rebuild" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 8/15).
