Highlights
Willie Green fired after 2-10 start, finishing with 150-190 record over four-plus seasonsNew Orleans became first NBA team ever to lose three games by 30+ points in first six contestsAssociate head coach James Borrego named interim replacement for remainder of seasonPelicans traded away unprotected 2026 first-round pick, creating urgency around turnaroundExecutive VP Joe Dumars says decision wasn’t about record but establishing long-term direction
The franchise made its first coaching change of the season Saturday after a brutal 2-10 start that saw the team lose three games by 30-plus points.
NEW ORLEANS, La. (103.3 The GOAT) — The New Orleans Pelicans fired head coach Willie Green on Saturday after a 2-10 start that put the franchise at the bottom of the Western Conference.
Green went 150-190 in four-plus seasons and took the team to the playoffs twice. Associate head coach James Borrego takes over as interim coach. The Pelicans host the Golden State Warriors on Sunday night.
The firing came one day after a 118-104 home loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, the team’s fourth straight loss. Pelicans Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars said the decision went beyond the record.
“It really wasn’t the won and lost record as the ultimate determining factor,” Dumars said. “We have to establish who is going to be here in New Orleans going forward and I just did not see that happening.”
What New Orleans Fans Need to Know
The Pelicans’ start was brutal. The team opened 0-6, losing the first six games by 107 points combined. They became the first team in NBA history to lose three of their first six games by at least 30 points.
New Orleans also allowed at least 120 points in five straight games to begin a season for the first time in franchise history. The team currently ranks in the bottom five in both offensive and defensive rating.
Problems had been building for months. According to HoopsHype, former Pelicans executive David Griffin wanted to fire Green in the middle of last season and name Borrego interim head coach. Players and staff felt Green didn’t hold star forward Zion Williamson accountable enough.
Green’s messaging had also worn thin with Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III, who played under Green his entire tenure. Murphy talked about the difficulty of the change.
“Everybody here still has respect for Willie,” Murphy said. “So, it’s not one of those things where you’re happy to see somebody go. But we understand, too, that it’s time to go with James Borrego.”
The Injury Crisis
Injuries hammered Green’s roster. Star forward Zion Williamson has played in just five of the team’s 12 games this season, dealing with a bruised foot and then a strained left hamstring — the fourth straight season he’s had hamstring problems.
Over Green’s tenure, Williamson played in just 134 of 340 regular season games — about 39% — and missed every playoff game. The 2019 first overall pick averages 24.6 points per game but can’t stay on the court.
Guard Jordan Poole has also missed time this season with a left quad strain, and All-Star guard Dejounte Murray remains out until at least the new year after tearing his Achilles tendon at the end of January.
What Comes Next for the Pelicans
James Borrego has done this before. The 48-year-old coached the Charlotte Hornets for four seasons from 2018-22, going 148-183. He also served as interim head coach for the Orlando Magic during the 2014-15 season.
Borrego joined Green’s staff in June 2023. Marc Stein reported the Pelicans kept him specifically in case they needed to make a coaching change. The team even blocked the New York Knicks from interviewing Borrego for a lead assistant position.
“There’s a lot of basketball to be played here,” Borrego said. “We have time to improve. We got to be a more resilient, tough physical group — period — whatever that looks like.”
Dumars said Borrego will have full control over the roster, including playing time for rookies Jeremiah Fears (seventh overall pick) and Derik Queen (13th overall pick).
“I said to him, ‘I am going to support whatever you want to do,’” Dumars said. “’It’s your call. I’m not the coach. I am never going to be the coach. I never want to be the coach. It’s your call, James.’”
The High Stakes for New Orleans
The pressure goes past this season. The Pelicans traded an unprotected 2026 first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks on draft night for the 13th overall selection to draft Queen. They also traded another 2026 first-rounder back to the Indiana Pacers to get the 23rd pick in 2025.
The team is on pace for a lottery pick right now. That could mean giving Atlanta a top selection in what’s expected to be a strong draft class.
When asked if he has any concern about not having a first-round pick, Dumars said: “There’s no sense in me being concerned about it now. It’s done. I’m concerned about the guys we have here, the guys we drafted and watching them grow and the players they become.”
Green’s Legacy in New Orleans
Green was hired in July 2021 off the Phoenix Suns’ coaching staff. He spent two seasons with the Suns and two with the Golden State Warriors, winning back-to-back NBA championships in 2017 and 2018.
His first season started rough — the Pelicans opened 1-12 — but he turned things around. The team finished 36-46 and made the playoffs. They beat the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers in the play-in tournament to reach the postseason for the first time since 2017-18.
Green’s best season was 2023-24 when New Orleans won 49 games. The Oklahoma City Thunder swept them in the first round. The team also made the play-in tournament in 2023 but lost to Oklahoma City.
Team owner Gayle Benson backed the decision while praising Green.
“As I have stated, Joe Dumars is in charge of basketball operations decisions, and as one of the best basketball minds in the business, I trust him to make the right decisions for our franchise,” Benson said. “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.”
Dumars said the same in his statement: “I have the utmost respect for Willie Green, and I’m sincerely appreciative of his contributions to the Pelicans organization and the New Orleans community. We wish him and his family all the best in the future.”
Borrego has 70 games left in the regular season to turn things around. The franchise needs momentum now — both to save this season and protect the draft capital they’ve already traded.
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Gallery Credit: Dave Steel