Brad Stevens

Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens could be losing a bright assistant for the second consecutive season.

(AP Photo/Morry Gash)

The New Orleans Pelicans are in "advanced negotiations" to lure assistant coach Darren Erman away from the Boston Celtics, according to ESPN's Marc Stein.

Stein reported early Tuesday that Erman visited New Orleans Monday to discuss a possible job. While no deal is finalized, he is being recruited as a key piece to Alvin Gentry's staff. One source told MassLive.com the Pelicans made their interest known before they hired Gentry to replace the fired Monty Williams, and that Erman could potentially become an associate head coach in New Orleans.

Boston hired Erman last summer for the second time after he and the Golden State Warriors went through a messy divorce. Despite his toxic end with then-Warriors coach Mark Jackson, Erman is viewed highly in many NBA circles. He helped shape the Celtics defense last season, and, like everyone on the staff, devoted a lot of time to player development.

Before getting traded, Rajon Rondo called Erman the best coach in the league at scouting reports and likened him to "a miniature (Tom) Thibodeau."

"He's really studied the game," Celtics head coach Brad Stevens said last season. "And I think that adds just another good, young ambitious guy that's really excited to help these guys get better. And he spends a lot of time, as do all of our assistants, with the individuals. That's as big of a key right now as anything else.

"Darren's really a great defensive coach," Stevens continued. "He's more than that. I think sometimes we pigeon-hole guys because he's obviously specialized in that. But he is detail-oriented as detail-oriented gets. If your hands aren't in the right place as you're guarding in a pick-and-roll, or if your body positioning's not at the right angle, or you don't guard the post in the exact right way, he'll stop it and he'll correct it."

If Erman leaves, the departure will mark the second consecutive offseason during which Stevens has lost a bright assistant. Last summer, wise sage Ron Adams left to join the Warriors.