The Pelicans are singing bye-bye birdie to Stan Van Gundy.
Van Gundy has been fired as New Orleans’ head coach after only one season with the team, ESPN reports.
This comes as the Pelicans failed to make the playoffs for the third consecutive season. They finished 11th in the Western Conference at 31-41, only a one-game improvement from the 2019-20 season.
Van Gundy was hired before this season to mentor a young, talented group led by Zion Williamson.
Previously, Van Gundy served as head coach of the Pistons until he was let go in 2018. He has also coached for the Heat and the Magic and has an overall record of 554-425.
The next coach will inherit a team built around Williamson and Brandon Ingram, along with a lottery pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Van Gundy’s departure marks the sixth NBA team to make a change at the helm, following the Pacers, Magic, Blazers, Celtics, and the Wizards. Washington split with Scott Brooks also on Wednesday as the two sides failed to agree to an extension.
According to The Ringer, Teresa Weatherspoon and Fred Vinson, both assistant coaches with the Pelicans, are candidates to be Van Gundy’s successor.