As the New Orleans Pelicans creep toward the end of another chaotic season, it’s only natural to wonder what comes next with one of this year’s most confusing teams.
Since the All-Star break, New Orleans has consistently checked three boxes that have been elusive for the franchise over the past few years: They’ve been healthy, they’ve been competitive, and their rotation has been stacked with quality, young options.
Even after going through back-to-back seasons with 50-plus losses for the first time in franchise history, there’s a growing sentiment among the fan base that this group deserves one more shot.
Zion Williamson will be entering his eighth season next year without a single playoff appearance under his belt. But is it crazy to think it’s still too early to pull the plug on him being “the guy” in New Orleans?
Let’s see how some readers are feeling about the team with a Pelicans mailbag before what could be an eventful offseason. Thanks to everyone who submitted.
(Editor’s note: Questions have been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.)
Do you think James Borrego will be hired as head coach? Do you think he should be?
Before anything else, this is the decision the Pelicans have to nail down.
Borrego has a 23-40 record since taking over as interim head coach following Willie Green’s firing early in the season. He was 10-5 coming out of the All-Star break before the Pelicans lost against four of the five best teams in the Eastern Conference. With Borrego at the helm, there have been some obvious improvements on both ends of the floor and a distinct identity that the group has seemingly bought into.
Whether or not Borrego is the right choice for the full-time position, the Pelicans’ biggest priority in the hiring process should be bringing in someone who eliminates any doubt about the franchise’s direction moving forward.
If the plan is to keep building around the core of Williamson, Trey Murphy, Dejounte Murray and Herb Jones, then why not bring Borrego back? Though it’s a limited sample size, the Pelicans have posted a plus-9.4 net rating with those four on the floor together this year, per Cleaning The Glass. Borrego has those guys clicking, and maybe they can build on an encouraging end to this season and hit the ground running in 2026-27.
Of the other coaches who’ve been rumored to be in the mix for the New Orleans job, who would make sense? Does Darvin Ham or Kevin Ollie seem like the right voice to get this group over the hump? Is it clear that another candidate would be an upgrade over Borrego?
If the front office decides to keep the heart of the Pelicans’ roster intact, then hiring Borrego seems to make sense. If the front office decides to start listening to trade offers for Williamson, Murphy or Murray, then why not go with an up-and-coming head coach who can grow with the young core that’ll be left behind? Is there someone out there who can build the Pelicans’ version of what Charles Lee has done with the Charlotte Hornets?
Either way, the head coach needs to send a message about what comes next in New Orleans. Asking a coach to come in and succeed with a two-timelines approach feels like a recipe for disaster.
Borrego has done a decent job of making sure that rookies Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen remain prominently featured, even as their roles have been reduced. Of course, another coach can come in and do the same under the right circumstances. Regardless, it won’t be easy to keep the vets and the youngsters happy about their minutes, especially if the team isn’t winning.
Who the team hires as head coach should provide an indication of what the rest of the summer will look like.
Is James Borrego the right permanent head coach for the New Orleans Pelicans? And can Jeremiah Fears (0) be a reliable leader for the upcoming years? (Alonzo Adams / Imagn Images)
Jeremiah Fears had an excellent game against the New York Knicks on March 24, but was taken out with about three minutes left to play. It seemed to be a decision to ensure the starting lineup, with Dejounte Murray, was the closing lineup rather than the best possible one at that moment. How do you think the Pelicans balance playing their growing guard Fears with the established veteran Murray? — Pwilliams3
Let’s assume the Pelicans run it back with this current group and Borrego — or a coach who comes in with a similar mindset about winning. How should they approach those uncomfortable moments when it’s time to pick between Fears and Murray, or Queen and Yves Missi, or even Queen and Zion?
The answer is simple in my mind: Do what it takes to win.
If Fears is more worried about putting up numbers than making winning plays, he should sit. If Queen isn’t playing defense, he should sit.
Conversely, if Fears is playing better than Murray, the head coach should feel comfortable leaving him in to finish a game over Murray or Jones. If Queen is defending and rebounding well, he should get the chance to finish over Missi — or maybe even Williamson — on the right night.
If that winning mindset is at the forefront, the players will fall in line. Those who won’t should be the first ones shipped out of the door. Again, this team has lost more than 50 games in back-to-back seasons. It’s time to prioritize winning.
Should this team run it back? If not, which guys should be moved? — Christopher B.
I’ve gone back and forth on this question so many times in recent months.
There was a point when I thought New Orleans had no choice but to get rid of Zion. There was a point when I thought Murray’s exit before the start of next season was a foregone conclusion.
But the NBA will always find a way to surprise you, and I was legitimately stunned by how good the Pelicans looked before their recent four-game swoon. Murray has performed light-years better than I expected him to after returning from a 13-month absence due to the ruptured Achilles tendon he suffered last season.
Having a veteran point guard who knows how to run an offense has made the fit so much smoother with all the talented wing scorers New Orleans can put on the floor. Zion has been healthier than ever recently, and he’s getting back to scoring with elite efficiency now that he doesn’t have to create so much for himself. Murphy is putting up career numbers, and he doesn’t have to work so hard running through screens and isolation plays like he did last year. All of a sudden, Saddiq Bey is a dependable scorer within the offense, and Murray makes it easier for him to get his shots.
When all these players are healthy, the Pelicans legitimately have something. They’ve been competitive against strong opponents over the past few weeks.
Do I think it’s sustainable to play Zion at center as much as they have since Murray came back? Probably not. Is it scary to go into another season hoping Zion, Murray and Herb Jones can avoid injuries? Absolutely.
But considering that all these guys are under contract and they’ve really clicked down the stretch, I think it’s worth it to see what they can do with a full training camp.
Not to mention, it’s much easier to take a risk and see how far this thing can go when there’s a clear backup plan in place with Fears and Queen waiting in the wings as potential cornerstones of a complete rebuild.
What is the long-term plan for Derik Queen? How big are the expectations for the Pelicans’ rookie to become a more versatile player? (Rick Osentoski / Imagn Images)
What is the team’s long-term plan for Derik Queen in light of his incompatibility so far with Zion? Will they explore a Zion trade if things don’t go well to start next season? Also, who do you see as prime trade/free-agency targets for the team in the offseason? Thanks for all your great work, Will. — Mlbtwo
Let’s tackle the first question because that’s an easy one. Williamson and Queen are such talented players, and they have skill sets that could complement each other on offense, especially if Queen continues to extend his range beyond the 3-point line. If Queen gets to the point that he can consistently demand double-teams in the low post, it’ll be almost impossible to guard him and Zion when they share the floor.
But there have been some ugly defensive stretches with those two, which shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Queen is still a rookie, and he came into the league with a reputation for defensive lapses that he and the team must work to fix. And Williamson has pretty much been a weak link on defense throughout his career, even though at times he can ramp up his effort to become really impactful.
With guys like Missi and Karlo Matković on the roster, there’s technically no rush to make the Zion-Queen combo work. The Pelicans can still try to be competitive next season without forcing their two weakest frontcourt defenders to share the court too often.
But from a long-term perspective, the Pels have to figure out if it’s worth investing in a future with these two if they can’t play together. I’m skeptical it can work because Queen is relatively small compared to other centers, and even if he puts in a ton of work in the weight room, I’m not sure he’ll ever get to the point where he won’t be at a disadvantage guarding players like Nikola Jokić and Joel Embiid.
Still, there’s enough time to give Zion and Queen a chance to prove skeptics wrong. And frankly, if Williamson doesn’t start taking his defensive responsibilities more seriously, it won’t matter what center you put next to him. Seeing Williamson healthy this season has been a huge win, but he has appeared to play with less defensive intensity. As the apparent leader of this team, Williamson needs to show his commitment to winning through consistent effort and focus on defense. Once he does that, the younger guys, especially Queen, will follow suit.
As far as free-agent targets, I put 3-point shooting at the top of the team’s priorities. The Jordan Poole and Jordan Hawkins minutes have been disastrous this season. The Pelicans almost certainly will be trying to rid themselves of those contracts in the offseason.
Some early names I think the Pels should consider as low-risk shooting options include Buddy Hield, who has two years, $19 million left on his current deal; Gary Trent Jr., who has a $3.8 million player option for 2026-27; and Simone Fontecchio, who will be an unrestricted free agent. I’d also be interested to see if Oklahoma City is willing to part ways with Isaiah Joe or Aaron Wiggins in the offseason as the Thunder front office attempts to manage a roster that’s becoming increasingly expensive.
But I’m sure other options will arise as other teams make moves before and after the draft.