David Griffin went with the impressive resume of an experienced NBA winner
It’s official.
After an extended flirtation, the New Orleans Pelicans have reached an agreement with Stan Van Gundy to become the 7th head coach in franchise history, signing him to a four-year contract.
The news was first reported by ESPN’s Andrew Lopez.
The Pelicans’ head coaching job had been open since Alvin Gentry was dismissed on August 15.
In a market that featured a number of highly-regarded assistants, VP of Basketball Operations David Griffin opted for a known commodity to guide one of the NBA’s youngest rosters.
Van Gundy, who last coached the Detroit Pistons from 2014-18, comes to New Orleans with a career record of 523-384, with eight playoff appearances in 11 full seasons.
His first playoff series win came at the expense of the then-New Orleans Hornets in 2004.
Most notably, he led the Orlando Magic to the 2009 NBA Finals.
Van Gundy’s teams have won at least 50 games five times in his career. The Pelicans have one 50-win season in franchise history.