Report: Pelicans and Bulls' Thibodeau have mutual interest

On paper, the New Orleans Pelicans may look like any other middle-of-the-road, 45-win team. In reality, they're much more than that.

Simply by employing the preternatural force of basketball nature that is Anthony Davis - the NBA's consensus Best Player for the Next Decade - the Pelicans offer one of the most attractive situations the league over. With a head coaching vacancy to fill in the wake of Monty Williams' removal, New Orleans shouldn't be starved for viable, interested candidates.

''We haven't begun the search yet, but we're going to find the available candidate. I feel good about the direction we're going," Pelicans general manager Dell Demps said, according to John Reid of The Times Picayune.

One reason the Pelicans are taking their time kicking off the search is that they're waiting to see whether the Chicago Bulls part ways with coach Tom Thibodeau, as the Bulls have reportedly been determined to do for some time.

Speculation has already begun to swirl about the prospect of the Pelicans scooping up Thibodeau if he's ousted by the Bulls. He and Davis have maintained a close relationship since Davis played for Team USA - for whom Thibodeau is an assistant coach - during last summer's FIBA World Cup and the two sides are said to have mutual interest, reports ESPN's Marc Stein.

New Orleans has pursued Thibodeau before. In June 2010, when he was still a Boston Celtics assistant, he was in the running to fill the then-Hornets' coaching vacancy after they'd let go of Byron Scott.

The franchise settled on Williams after Thibodeau made it clear he planned to pursue the Bulls' job.