4 Biggest Questions Facing the Pelicans This Offseason

The New Orleans Pelicans are facing a ton of pressure to get on the right track this offseason. After being way below expectations for the second straight year, the Pelicans have no choice but to make the right decisions to give their fans some hope for the future.

Fans understand that it will be a long time before the Pelicans are a dangerous playoff team, but they are looking for light at the end of the tunnel. The 2026 offseason will be very important in giving them that glimmer of hope. The answers to the following questions will be key in that regard.

Who Will Be the Pelicans' Next Head Coach?

The Pelicans are conducting a head coaching search. James Borrego remains a leading candidate, but names like Darvin Ham, Jamahl Mosley, Kevin Ollie, and Jared Dudley have emerged since the end of the season as potential new hires.

The record wasn't what many were hoping, but Borrego did a decent job as the interim head coach, getting the team to play fast, hard, and with intentionality. There was a significant improvement on the offensive end under his watch.

Whether he will stay, or a more defensive-minded coach like Mosley will take charge, will determine the Pelicans' priorities next season and beyond.

Will the Pelicans Make Win-Now Moves or Build Slowly?

In his end-of-season press conference, Joe Dumars said that the Pelicans aren't too far from winning. Some interpreted this as a willingness to get better right away. Does this mean that the Pels will pursue win-now trades? Could we see them trading draft capital to acquire impactful veterans in the offseason?

For a team that just won 26 games, this would be a big mistake. Giving up more of your future to chase a Play-In spot is a risky approach that could set the franchise back for many years.

The ownership may have had enough of being one of the worst teams in the league. If the front office is feeling that pressure from the ownership, we could see the Pelicans give up draft capital this offseason.

What Will Pelicans Do at Center?

Regardless of which direction the Pelicans go, their top roster priority has to be finding a starting center. The Pels had a glaring hole at center last season after they got nothing out of Kevon Looney.

Both Derik Queen and Zion Williamson need a defense-first center next to them. Neither player can rebound the ball or protect the rim. A defensive anchor is needed to clean up the mess behind, and the Pelicans need to invest significant resources into it. Whether it's through the trade market or free agency, how good a center the Pelicans can bring in will determine how far they can go next season.

Will Jordan Poole Stay in New Orleans?

The Pelicans owe Poole $34 million next season. That is obviously hard to stomach, considering how bad Poole was all season. It especially hurts after watching CJ McCollum, whom the Pels traded away for Poole, dominating the New York Knicks in the playoffs.

Ideally, Poole would not be in New Orleans next season, but that is difficult to achieve. His albatross of a contract makes him essentially untradeable without attaching other assets. At this point in their rebuilding, the Pelicans should not be in the business of giving up assets to get out of bad contracts.

Perhaps there is a way the Pels can trade him for an equally bad contract if another team is interested in Poole as an expiring salary. He could also be a buyout candidate. Poole is certainly not in the future plans, but whether the Pelicans can get out of his contract this offseason remains to be seen.

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