The New Orleans Pelicans are not wasting any time when it comes to filling their coaching vacancies. Days after tabbing Golden State Warriors associate head coach Alvin Gentry as their next bench boss, the Pelicans added defensive guru Darren Erman to their staff.
Erman will become the team's associate head coach after reaching an agreement in principle with the Pelicans on Tuesday morning, Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski reports.
Erman spent the 2014-15 season working as a defensive assistant with the Boston Celtics.
Prior to that, he helped the Warriors improve from the 26th-ranked defense to third in just a couple of years. However, Erman was relieved of his duties mere weeks before last year's playoffs, with the Warriors citing a violation of company policy.
Before heading to the Bay Area, he worked under Tom Thibodeau and later Lawrence Frank as a member of Doc Rivers' Celtics staff.
The Pelicans, Wojnarowski reports, are discussing the possibility of bringing Oklahoma City Thunder assistant Robert Pack aboard as well. Pack is unlikely to be retained by new coach Billy Donovan.
Gentry, who guided the Phoenix Suns to the 2010 Western Conference Finals, is currently running the Dub's offense as the lead assistant under Steve Kerr. The veteran coach will take over in New Orleans following the NBA Finals.
