The New Orleans Pelicans surely don’t have a talent problem on their roster, with an All-NBA player in Zion Williamson, a former All-Star in Dejounte Murray, and a pair of promising young wings in Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones. Factor in other quality players like Jordan Poole, Yves Missi, Kevon Looney, and Jose Alvarado, and the Pelicans have a good enough roster to be competitive.
However, that just wasn’t the case last season, as injuries derailed their season and had them finish with the second-worst record in the Western Conference at 21-61. Now, heading into Year 5 under head coach Willie Green, the former Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors assistant has one of the hottest seats in the NBA.
After a season full of injuries and a 21-61 record, the #Pelicans are moving forward with head coach Willie Green.
President of Basketball Ops Joe Dumars explains why. @FOX8NOLA pic.twitter.com/tCacwKzveD
— Madeline Adams (@MadelineAdamsTV) June 4, 2025
Especially with a new front office in place, led by Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver, the new regime might not have much patience for a coach that they didn’t hire.
In a recent piece by Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, the NBA insider revealed that in the case that Green’s tenure in New Orleans is cut short, his potential successor could very well already be on the current staff.
Pelicans head coach Willie Green says the key for Zion Williamson is maximizing his time on the floor and being able to build off being more available last season. pic.twitter.com/xfBqo9Zp53
— Bobby Krivitsky (@BobbyKrivitsky) January 12, 2025
“By the 25-game or 30-game mark, Dumars and the Pelicans may be ready to make a change if the team is underperforming at the bottom of the standings,” Siegel wrote. “It is worth mentioning that lead assistant coach James Borrego has interviewed for many jobs over the years and has opted to remain in New Orleans. That can’t be a coincidence.”
James Borrego is the first coach to be fired after increasing his team’s wins by double figures in back-to-back full seasons, h/t @malika_andrews, @_Talkin_NBA.
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) April 22, 2022
Borrego spent the 2024-25 season as the associate head coach behind Willie Green in New Orleans, but that wasn’t his first stint with the franchise. From 2010-12, Borrego was an assistant coach when they were still the New Orleans Hornets.
After starting his career there, he’d join the Orlando Magic, serving as the team’s interim head coach during the 2014-15 season after Jacque Vaughn was let go. He’d then go on to serve as an assistant on Gregg Popovich’s staff for three seasons before accepting the head coaching job for the Charlotte Hornets.
James Borrego’s offenses in Charlotte were top 10 in the NBA for ball movement, pace, and three-point attempts, even without a superstar. He built a system around sharing the ball, attacking early, and getting open looks—something Knicks fans have wanted to see more of at MSG. pic.twitter.com/04krcXyzmw
— Ime Udoka’s Sidechick (@RaskinsThe) June 7, 2025
In four seasons there, he’d accumulate a 138-163 record, which wasn’t bad given the team’s circumstances. However, he was still let go in favor of Steve Clifford, who was fired after two poor seasons.
While Charlotte might’ve made the mistake of firing him, Borrego could now end up being the next head coach of the Pelicans and see success with a far more talented roster at his disposal. Therefore, if Green can’t keep the Pelicans competitive at the start of the season, the front office could decide to put Borrego at the helm before mid-season.