The New Orleans Pelicans have made the dramatic decision to part ways with head coach Willie Green following a disappointing start to the NBA season that saw the team manage just two victories in their opening twelve games.
End of an era for Pelicans coach
Willie Green's tenure as Pelicans coach concluded on Saturday after the team's executive vice president of basketball operations, Joe Dumars, announced the coaching change. Green, who was in his fifth season leading the franchise, finishes his New Orleans career with a 150-190 record overall.
Dumars emphasised that the decision wasn't solely based on the team's win-loss record, stating: "It really wasn't the won and lost record as the ultimate determining factor. We have to establish who is going to be here in New Orleans going forward and I just did not see that happening."
Repeating patterns prompt change
The executive vice-president expressed concern about the team's consistent performance issues, noting they were "losing the same way, over and over again." He elaborated: "That's not improvement. We have to establish that we're going to play hard every night. Before you can become anything in this league, you have to establish that first... and that's still what I'm looking for right now."
Team owner Gayle Benson, who has faced increasing public pressure during difficult seasons for both the Pelicans and the NFL's Saints, acknowledged the difficulty of the decision. "I have tremendous admiration and respect for Willie Green, and I truly appreciate all he has done for our organization over the last few years," Benson said. "This is a tough business and these are difficult decisions. My expectation is to be a winning team that competes for championships."
Borrego steps into interim role
James Borrego, the Pelicans' top assistant and former Charlotte Hornets head coach, has been elevated to interim head coach. Borrego brings considerable experience to the role, having coached the Hornets for four seasons from 2018 to 2022, compiling a 138-163 record that included a 43-39 finish in his final season. He also previously served as interim head coach with Orlando during the 2014-15 campaign.
Dumars confirmed that Borrego's promotion is expected to last at least through the remainder of the current season, though he couldn't guarantee whether "unforeseen" circumstances might alter that plan. "He has sat in the head-coaching seat before in the NBA and understands the job," Dumars said. "So, we have great faith and confidence in James going forward."
Green's departure marks the end of his first head coaching appointment, which began in 2021 under former Pelicans basketball operations chief David Griffin. During his four-plus seasons, Green guided the Pelicans to two playoff appearances, though both resulted in first-round exits - against Phoenix in 2022 and Oklahoma City earlier this year. The team also qualified for the Western Conference play-in tournament in 2023 but were eliminated by Oklahoma City.
The coach's task in New Orleans was complicated by the frequent injury absences of star power forward Zion Williamson. The 2019 first overall draft pick from Duke, who has averaged 24.6 points per game throughout his career, participated in just 134 of the 340 games Green coached - approximately 39% of available matches. This season alone, Williamson has missed seven games due to a bruised foot and subsequent strained left hamstring.
Dumars, who replaced Griffin this year, had initially decided to retain Green for what would have been his final season under contract. "I'd seen some of the Pelicans when they were fully healthy a few years ago and it seemed that Willie was doing a good job," Dumars explained. "I thought it was only fair to give him an opportunity. It was just as simple as: He's been here, give him a chance to have a fresh start with me and go forward and build."
The executive had bolstered Green's roster during the offseason with several additions, including free-agent veterans Kevon Looney, Sadiq Bey and Jordan Poole, along with two first-round draft picks - Jeremiah Fears (seventh overall) and Derik Queen (13th overall).
However, the Pelicans began the regular season with a six-game losing streak that featured three defeats by 30 or more points. A brief resurgence saw the team win two consecutive games, raising hopes of a turnaround, but those were quickly dashed by four subsequent losses, including Friday night's 118-104 defeat against the Los Angeles Lakers in NBA Cup competition.
Dumars concluded with a firm statement about the organisation's philosophy: "We're not status quo people. We're just not. We can't sit on our hands and we can't sit here and go, 'Well, it's going to get better one day.' Like, that's just not the way we're going to approach it."
The newly appointed interim coach James Borrego faces his first challenge on Sunday night when the Pelicans host the Golden State Warriors at home.
