Pelicans Scoop

Willie Green's Dismissal Could Lead Pelicans To Seek Internal Replacement

With New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green entering the season on the hot seat, his potential successor might already be on the staff
Liam Willerup|
Mar 19, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green looks on against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
Mar 19, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green looks on against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

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New Orleans Pelicans

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.

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.

"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."

Who Is James Borrego?

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.

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.

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Liam Willerup
LIAM WILLERUP

A 2024 graduate of the University of Miami, Liam spent several years covering the University’s football and basketball teams. An avid basketball fan, you can find Liam on X @theleftyliam where he’s constantly sharing his thoughts.

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