The New Orleans Pelicans finally reached a point where they had to make a decision. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, after a disastrous 2-10 start, which included three 30+ point defeats, the Pelicans have fired head coach Willie Green. What was once a steady, promising run fell apart so quickly that the move felt like the only option left.
The collapse didn’t catch anyone by surprise. The Pelicans opened with a 0-6 start, which included three losses by at least 30 points, something no NBA team had ever done in its first six games. They gave up 120 or more points in five straight games to open the year, another franchise first.
And for once, this wasn’t about conditioning.
Zion Williamson showed up in great shape. But the plan fell apart almost immediately once injuries hit. Zion has played only five games because of another hamstring issue, the fourth year in a row that injury has slowed him. Jordan Poole missed games with a quad strain. Dejounte Murray still hasn’t returned from his Achilles tear. When your three main creators can’t stay on the floor together, it’s nearly impossible for any coach to build structure.
The Pelicans never recovered. What started as an effort problem turned into something bigger. The offense stalled. The defense leaked in every direction. They dropped into the bottom five in both offensive and defensive rating and kept collapsing whenever opponents went on a run. Friday’s 118–104 loss to the Lakers was the final straw. The crowd looked done. The players looked the same. The front office didn’t wait for things to get worse.
James Borrego steps in as interim head coach. He was already the most experienced assistant on staff and had interviewed for multiple head-coaching jobs over the last two summers. His offense is more structured, more spaced out and built around ball movement. His job now is to steady the team, rebuild confidence, and see what this group looks like if it ever gets healthy at the same time.
The stakes are higher than usual. New Orleans traded both of its 2026 first-round picks to move up in recent drafts. They don’t control any of their own selections that year, and the one they owe Atlanta could be valuable if this slide keeps going. Moves like that force front offices to act fast. Waiting can make everything worse.
Green leaves with a 150–190 record, two playoff appearances, and the respect of just about every player he coached. His peak came in 2023–24, when the Pelicans won 49 games and looked like they were on the rise. That momentum faded once injuries and inconsistency became the rule instead of the exception.
Now the Pelicans are hoping a new voice and a shift in style can save whatever’s left of this season. Everything, as usual, comes back to Zion when he returns, how long he stays healthy, and whether he can carry them through the chaos that’s already defined their year.
