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The Wizards are the only NBA team with a clear head coach vacancy

The New Orleans Pelicans are reportedly hiring Willie Green for their vacancy.

Washington Wizards v Philadelphia 76ers - Game Five
Rui Hachimura and the Washington Wizards are still coach-less.
Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images

On Monday, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported that Phoenix Suns assistant coach Willie Green is the front runner for the New Orleans Pelicans’ head coach vacancy.

There are additional reports, including by Fletcher Mackel of WDSU-TV in New a Orleans that say Green is likely the next Pelicans head coach.

With the Orlando Magic moving toward Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Jamahl Mosley for their head coach vacancy, that leaves the Washington Wizards as the only team with a vacancy and no clear frontrunner, something that Wizards reporter Troy Haliburton noted yesterday.

On the one hand, most of the Wizards’ leading contenders for the position, like Denver Nuggets assistant coach Wes Unseld, are still available. But at some point, delaying a hire could hurt the Wizards in other ways. For example, the new head coach may not have his or her full pickings for assistant coaches. For example, Charlotte Hornets assistant coach Ronald Nored interviewed with the Wizards but took an assistant coaching position with the Indiana Pacers.

It’s unclear when the Wizards will offer the job to someone, but free agency starts on Aug. 2 and prospective players would want to know who Washington’s head coach is by then.