New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green has been released from his position and replaced by James Borrego, the former head coach for the Charlotte Hornets. He will be the interim head coach for the foreseeable future.
The Pelicans have shown little improvement from last season, now in last place in the Western Conference with a record of 2-12 as of Nov. 19. The Pelicans have lost six consecutive games and have an average point differential of -13.6. Since the start of last season, they have won just 23 out of 96 games.
While the past two seasons have been disappointing for Willie Green and the Pelicans, the future was bright for both Green and the Pelicans not long ago.
Green was hired as head coach in July 2021, earning the position after serving as an assistant coach with the Phoenix Suns, where he helped them reach the NBA Finals. Green led the Pelicans to a playoff appearance in his first year and lost in a competitive series against the top-seeded Suns. The following two seasons, the Pelicans finished with a winning record.
Things were looking promising for New Orleans, but Green and the Pelicans started to struggle. Not all of it was his fault, though, as it was hard to win when Zion Williamson, the franchise player, was consistently injured.
Hopefully, the next head coach will emulate Green’s early success but also take the team to a higher level. This season, the Pelicans have six players averaging at least 10 points per game, including rookies Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen, who are 19 and 20 years old, respectively.
The Pelicans have enough young talent to improve significantly and are looking for a new leader to make that happen.