Daniel Erman (Defensive Coach) is leaving the Team

[Kushner] Well regarded New Orleans Pelicans’ associate head coach Darren Erman is departing the coaching staff, league sources tell The Times Picayune | New Orleans Advocate.

He remains a candidate for coaching jobs elsewhere in the league.

I said this back in April. He's likely going to the Celtics

Will be interesting to hear more about this in the coming days.

Unlike a lot of people I’ve been willing to give Erman a bit of a pass, as it is hard to imagine any assistant turning Demps misfit parts into a great defense the last few seasons, and the Portland series showed he does have some serious skill, but this move does invoke some questions.

The timing is both odd, and the nature. As Erman can’t be expecting to move up from here, as the only place up is as a head coach, so at best this is lateral. Which begs the question of whether it was forced? Otherwise, why are you trying to leave without another job lined up?

I was speculating the second, but the first is interesting and makes sense. Finch certainly has earned it.

It just all feels...odd.

Like there is almost certainly more to it than what was said.

As is, this would have probably been Erman’s best chance in his career to really earn his reputation with this defensive centric roster.

I have to imagine this was more a face saving measure from Griffin to help Erman than anything. But I’m just speculating as well. Hope we get some clarity in the coming days.


Dream scenario: we poached Ron Adams who doesn’t want to live that D-Lo/Curry life.

I’m very much ok with this. Our D was never much to speak of.

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they groomed finch and erman to find out who would it be it.

They decided, erman wasn't too happy

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This makes a lot of sense too. It fits Griffin's "You're all the way in or all the way out" belief.

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I’m very much ok with this. Our D was never much to speak of.

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Good defense in the NBA takes effort as much or maybe moreso than scheming. To me the group of players you assemble is more important than who the defensive coach is. Although I do hope they replace him with another defensive coordinator, just so we know that the defensive side of the ball will get it's due consideration with Gentry and Finch being known for offense.

I don't know if he's ready or not but I think we have our potential Erman replacement in house already in Jamelle McMillan...I keep saying I feel he was a huge reason our D was so good two years ago and why it fell off last year (he wasn't on staff + Randle)

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I’m very much ok with this. Our D was never much to speak of.

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I agree

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I’m very much ok with this. Our D was never much to speak of

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completely agree, kind of excited about this move and curious who we hire

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Scott Kushner @ScottDKushner 2 hours ago

Jeff Bzdelik sitting next to Alvin Gentry right now.

I’ve been told he’s a primary candidate to replace Darren Erman on Pels bench.

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This was Houston's highly regarded defensive assistant that retired and then they asked him to come back because their defense sucked after letting Ariza and Mbah Moute leave.

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"In over a dozen interviews with coaches, players, and basketball executives who have worked with Bzdelik, the portrait of a hyper-driven, beloved, and tactically adept coach who has stockpiled inestimable reams of information over the course of an astounding career emerges." Hall of Fame coach and executive Pat Riley, who worked with Bzdelik in both New York and Miami, said, "I can't think of a man in the NBA that has more experience, more knowledge, more wisdom about how to defend in the contemporary game today, than Jeff. I was just always impressed with his scouting reports. He was very detailed. Very neat. Things were logical and coherent. He had all the right calls. We knew what the other team was gonna run."

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