Kentucky coach John Calipari could end up vying with Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau for the New Orleans Pelicans' coaching vacancy. Although Both men are believed to be interested in the job, Calipari's salary demands reportedly could end up being a sticking point.
Calipari's name is usually linked to a number of NBA teams around this time of year, but for once there's a report suggesting a mutual interest between Calipari and a team. According to John Reid of NOLA.com, Calipari has reached out to the Pelicans to express his interest in the team's head-coach position.
"Given the opportunity to reunite with star forward Anthony Davis, Kentucky coach John Calipari has made it known to New Orleans Pelicans officials that he's interested in the team's vacant head-coaching job, a source close to Calipari said Tuesday," Reid wrote. "There have been exploratory conversations between Calipari and the Pelicans, the source said, but it doesn't appear the team would be willing to meet his financial demands to leave Kentucky."
The biggest obstacle, though, apparently is money. Reid reported Calipari, who currently makes $8 million per year at Kentucky, wants more than the $4 million to $5 million per year that New Orleans is willing to offer.
"The $3 million gap in annual compensation is a major sticking point for Calipari, who would also want input on the Pelicans' roster, according to the source," Reid wrote.
At least part of Calipari's motivation to take the Pelicans' job is believed to be the chance to reunite with former Kentucky Star Anthony Davis, whom many are projecting to be the next big NBA star.
Calipari isn't the only coach reportedly interested in New Orleans because of Davis, either. ESPN's Marc Stein reported last week that Thibodeau was interested in the Pelicans, largely because of the team's 22-year-old All-Star.
"NBA coaching sources say there is unquestioned mutual interest between Thibodeau and the Pelicans," Stein wrote Friday, "with Thibs naturally said to be very intrigued by the possibility of coaching Davis full-time after working with him last summer as a Team USA assistant alongside Williams under Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski."
Most league insiders believe a split between Thibodeau and the Bulls this summer is imminent. Chicago reportedly prefers to trade Thibodeau, with an outright firing not ruled out if a deal cannot be found. The other part of any Thibodeau trade is finding a team that he is interested in, since trading a coach essentially only releases him from his current contract - Thibodeau and the team that traded for him would still have to agree on a new contract.
Like Calipari, Thibodeau is believed to be seeking a much bigger payday - maybe close to $6-8 million - and input over personnel moves. It's also unclear what Chicago's asking price for Thibodeau might be and whether the Pelicans would be willing to give up a draft pick, possibly a second- or third-rounder.
As for the rest of New Orleans' list of potential head-coach candidates, Golden State Warriors assistant Alvin Gentry is believed to be near the top. Gentry met with the Pelican's top brass Monday night to discuss the job, according to Reid. Stein confirmed the Gentry report. Gentry would likely fit the team's price range, as well.
Whoever ends up taking over the Pelicans would inherit a decent roster, but a roster nonetheless in need of upgrades. After Davis, the team's top players are center Omer Asik, forward Ryan Anderson, and guards Eric Gordon and Tyreke Evans.
New Orleans earned the West's eighth playoff seed on a tie-breaker and went on to get swept by Golden State in the first round.
