Pelicans Associate HC Jeff Bzdelik Won't Join Team in Orlando for NBA Restart

New Orleans Pelicans associate head coach Jeff Bzdelik will not be permitted to join his team in Orlando, Florida, for the NBA's restart this month.

Bzdelik's agent, Warren LeGarie, told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski of the decision to keep the 67-year-old away from the team in Orlando. Earlier Friday, Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes reported that Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Lionel Hollins, who is 66, will be held back from the restart after being "red-flagged" as a health concern.

The status of 65-year-old Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry for the restart remains unclear.

Gentry is reportedly "adamant" about coaching his team in Orlando.

While the NBA has given coaches assurances that no team employee will be held out because of age, per Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe, a number of other factors will determine who is invited into the league's bubble. The NBA could flag an employee to a panel of league-appointed physicians who would have final determination over whether those deemed at risk for COVID-19 are permitted to work in Florida.

According to ESPN's Andrew Lopez, Bzdelik's decision followed consultations with team physicians and discussions about regulations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

He will work remotely from New Orleans, helping the team with defensive strategies.

At 28-36, the Pelicans enter the restart tied with the Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings for ninth place in the Western Conference, only 3.5 games back of the eighth-seed Memphis Grizzlies with eight games to play.

In order to secure a playoff bid, the Pelicans would need to clinch the eighth seed by four games. If they remain in ninth place following the conclusion of the regular season but remain within four games of the eighth-place team, it will trigger a play-in tournament in which New Orleans would need to win two games before the eighth-place team wins one.

Having Bzdelik continue to provide defensive help from afar could be crucial for the club's chances of advancing. If Gentry isn't cleared to coach from the sidelines, that will further complicate the team's march to the postseason.