The New Orleans Pelicans, looking for a potential spark for their All-Star frontcourt duo of Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins, are closing in on hiring Denver Nuggets assistant coach Chris Finch, according to league sources.
Sources told ESPN that the Pelicans have pursued Finch to add his offensive brainpower to head coach Alvin Gentry's staff after announcing earlier this week that both Gentry and general manager Dell Demps will return next season.
The Pelicans are hoping Finch's arrival will provide an offensive boost to capitalize Davis' and Cousins' skills at a time when 3-point shooting is largely emphasized over size across the league.
In his debut season with the Denver Nuggets on head coach Mike Malone's staff, Finch had an impactful hand in the Nuggets' dramatic offensive improvement starting in mid-December, when highly skilled big man Nikola Jokic became the playmaking focal point of Denver's attack.
Finch previously worked as an assistant coach for the Houston Rockets for five seasons before spending last season in Denver and served as the head coach for host Great Britain in the 2012 Olympic Games in London.