After tumbling down the Western Conference standings in the opening 12 games of the season, the Pelicans are making a change to its coaching staff.
New Orleans sacked Willie Green on Saturday, spelling an end to the former Clippers guard's five-year run in charge. The move comes amid a 2-10 start to the year that threatens to condemn the Pelicans to a second-straight year without postseason action.
Green, 44, found occasional success in New Orleans colors, leading the Pels to two playoff appearances. Still, recent displays have left something to be desired, both for the former New Orleans taskmaster and the Pelicans roster as a whole.
Here's what you need to know about the Pelicans' decision to let go of Green.
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Why did the Pelicans fire Willie Green?
New Orleans endured a dismal start to the year, dropping each of its first six games. Three of those losses came by 30 points or more, making the Pelicans the first team in league history to suffer such a fate.
Some of the Pelicans' toils were circumstantial. Star Zion Williamson has been limited to just five games due to a hamstring injury — his fourth in as many seasons.
Williamson's injuries have proved a poison pill for New Orleans in recent seasons. When he plays, he's incredibly productive — Williamson averages 24.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists across his career.
But he's been scorned by injuries throughout his career, playing in just 219 games since he entered the league in 2019. Green wasn't infallible during his New Orleans career. But Williamson's lack of availability proved difficult to overcome.
Williamson wasn't the only Pelicans player to miss significant time this season. Jordan Poole has played sparingly while dealing with a left quad strain while former All-Star Dejounte Murray is still recuperating from the torn Achilles he sustained in January.
Nevertheless, the proof of New Orleans' futility lie in its numbers. The Pelicans were a bottom-five side in offensive and defensive rating under Green's tutelage. While he is renowned for his people skills and ability to rally his troops, Green wasn't able to avoid the cull. New Orleans dealt an unprotected 2026 first-round pick to acquire Derik Queen's services in the 2025 draft. The prospect of them tumbling down the standings — and surrendering a chance at a blue-chip prospect — was too much for general manager Joe Dumars.
"After careful evaluation, we have made the difficult decision to make a change at head coach," Dumars said in a 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."
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Who will replace Willie Green in New Orleans?
The Pels moved quickly to replace Green, handing head coaching responsibilities to assistant James Borrego . The former Hornets head coach has been a popular name in coaching searches in recent years, being considered as a finalist for gigs with the Lakers and Cavaliers in 2024. If New Orleans can find its rhythm under Borrego, expect him to get plenty of looks — both with the Pelicans and elsewhere.
Willie Green coaching record
| Year | Team | Rec. | Pct. | Playoffs |
| 2021-22 | Pelicans | 36-46 | .439 | Lost in first round |
| 2022-23 | Pelicans | 42-40 | .512 | None |
| 2023-24 | Pelicans | 49-33 | .598 | Lost in first round |
| 2024-25 | Pelicans | 21-61 | .256 | None |
| 2025-26 | Pelicans | 2-10 | .167 | N/A |
| TOTAL | — | 150-190 | .441 | — |