# FOCUS: Steve Hetzel and Darvin Ham IMPRESS Pelicans--Coaching Hire Decision Approaches Fast

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/locked-on-pelicans-daily-podcast-on-the-new-orleans-pelicans-635622/focus-steve-hetzel-and-darvin-ham-impress-pelicans-coaching-hire-decision-approaches-fast
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/locked-on-pelicans-daily-podcast-on-the-new-orleans-pelicans-635622/focus-steve-hetzel-and-darvin-ham-impress-pelicans-coaching-hire-decision-approaches-fast.md
Podcast: [Locked On Pelicans - Daily Podcast On The New Orleans Pelicans](https://stenobird.com/podcast/locked-on-pelicans-daily-podcast-on-the-new-orleans-pelicans-635622)
Published: 2026-05-08T05:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-pelicans/
Audio file: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/pdrl.fm/ab893c/lockedon.simplecastaudio.com/e668a801-b076-4c42-a18b-514196891965/episodes/8a280cec-1a24-46d8-b8cb-7e24c7ff6adf/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=e668a801-b076-4c42-a18b-514196891965&awEpisodeId=8a280cec-1a24-46d8-b8cb-7e24c7ff6adf&feed=dWDcvyl9
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/locked-on-pelicans-daily-podcast-on-the-new-orleans-pelicans-635622/episodes/focus-steve-hetzel-and-darvin-ham-impress-pelicans-coaching-hire-decision-approaches-fast
Duration seconds: 1620

## Resource

New Orleans Pelicans’ coaching search narrows as Steve Hetzel emerges as the frontrunner, impressing team officials alongside Darvin Ham. Will Hetzel’s experience in player development and defensive strategy transform the Pelicans’ identity, or might the team’s ties to familiar faces like Ham sway their decision? Jake Madison breaks down trusted reports from Mark Stein and Jake Fischer, weighing the implications of each candidate and examining how this process signals a strategic shift in New Orleans’ front office philosophy. Key topics include the Pelicans’ need for defensive improvement, the impact of Western Conference rivals, and why optics and culture matter for the team’s future. The episode also spotlights the high stakes of Sunday’s NBA Draft Lottery, with New Orleans narrowly missing a top pick due to the Dereck Lively trade. Could these decisions define the Pelicans’ path in a fiercely competitive offseason? Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms 🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-pelicans/ Locked On NBA League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft, WNBA & More 🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/leagues/nba #NewOrleansPelicans #ZionWilliamson #NBA #pelicans Everydayer Club If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! 5-Hour ENERGY Get candy-flavored chaos with Fruity Rainbow 5-hour ENERGY®️ Shots - available online at https://5hourENERGY.com or Amazon KALSHI For a limited time, download the Kalshi app and use code LOCKEDON to get ten dollars when you trade t…

## Actions

- request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/locked-on-pelicans-daily-podcast-on-the-new-orleans-pelicans-635622/episodes/focus-steve-hetzel-and-darvin-ham-impress-pelicans-coaching-hire-decision-approaches-fast/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.
- read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/locked-on-pelicans-daily-podcast-on-the-new-orleans-pelicans-635622/focus-steve-hetzel-and-darvin-ham-impress-pelicans-coaching-hire-decision-approaches-fast.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.

A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed.

## Transcript

Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.