Pelicans hire Suns’ Nelson to oversee player health

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — The New Orleans Pelicans‘ new basketball operations chief says he has hired Aaron Nelson to oversee injury prevention, rehabilitation, performance and recovery programs for the club.

Pelicans Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin, who announced the hiring Wednesday, says Nelson has been named Vice President of Player Care and Performance.

Nelson spent past 26 years with Phoenix. He was the Suns’ head athletic trainer for 19 seasons before his promotion to senior vice president of health and performance. In Phoenix, Nelson helped managed the health and fitness of several Hall of Fame players in the latter stages of their careers, including Grant Hill, Steve Nash and Shaquille O’Neal.

Griffin has extensive experience with Nelson, who was with the Suns when Griffin also worked for Phoenix from 1993 to 2010.

In two of the past four seasons, the Pelicans have led the NBA in games missed because of injuries or illness.