5 Pelicans Head Coach Candidates Ranked From Crazy to Realistic

The New Orleans Pelicans have yet to announce their next head coach. That will be the biggest decision they make this offseason, so there is plenty of intrigue about the process. Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver are casting a wide net, including former players, experienced assistants, and familiar faces. Among the reported list of candidates, who are the most likely names to land the job? Let's rank them from most to least likely.

5. Kevin Ollie

Ollie has been connected to the Pelicans' head coaching gig ever since Troy Weaver was appointed as the GM. He was a candidate for the Pistons job when Weaver was running Detroit's front office.

Hiring Ollie would suggest that Weaver has a ton of power within the organization. It would also be a crazy decision.

The former UConn head coach hasn't been a head coach since 2018. He had a brief interim gig with the Brooklyn Nets in 2024, but his head coaching experience in the NBA is minimal. We know very little about his coaching style and dealings with NBA players since he has spent most of his time at the collegiate level or with the Overtime Elite.

4. Rajon Rondo

There is a real chance that Rondo is the next head coach of the Pelicans. There is too much smoke around his name for there not to be a fire.

As an outside-the-box hire, the Pelicans could do worse than Rondo. There have been plenty of first-time head coaches with little to no coaching experience succeeding in the NBA. As one of the smartest basketball players of his generation, Rondo could certainly be the next great head coach.

Yet, the risk here is undeniable. Rondo has never even been a full-time assistant coach. The Pelicans have a weird roster with a ton of ill-fitting pieces. Is Rondo really the right name to get the most out of this group?

3. Steve Hetzel

Hetzel stands on the other end of the spectrum compared to Rondo. He has been an assistant coach in the league since 2009. He reportedly impressed the Pelicans' top brass in the interview process, which helped him skyrocket up in these rankings.

We know little about Hetzel's coaching style. As a first-time NBA head coach, Hetzel would come with uncertainty and upside. Over the last two years, he has been with the Nets, working under Jordi Fernandez. Despite the slow rebuild in Brooklyn, Fernandez has been one of the more innovative head coaches in the league in that span. If Hetzel has a similar style, he could be an intriguing fit in New Orleans.

2. Darvin Ham

Reportedly, Ham was the other name that impressed the Pelicans in the process. He is arguably the most experienced coach on this list, being an assistant for 11 years before landing the Lakers' head coaching gig. After coaching in LA for two seasons, he returned to Milwaukee to be the lead assistant under Doc Rivers for the last two years.

Ham won the NBA Cup and made the Conference Finals with the Lakers, still two of their biggest successes since winning the title in 2020. Lakers fans and the media soured on him after some time, but he will get another head coaching opportunity. It may very well be with the Pelicans.

1. James Borrego

This may not be what some Pelicans fans want to see, but one has to admit that this is as realistic an outcome as any. Borrego's performance as the interim head coach last season wasn't entirely convincing, but there were plenty of positives to take away.

Despite the 24-46 finish during his tenure, the Pelicans took a few strides forward. The offense looked more dangerous, Jeremiah Fears showed a ton of improvement, and the team played with intensity and effort.

Last season, the Pels had one of the worst point guard and center rotations in the league. They also had no shooting. It's hard to judge a head coach with so many weaknesses on the roster, especially when the goal is to win games while also developing two lottery picks.

Borrego deserves another chance with a better-fitting roster, but it would be understandable if the Pelicans went another way. He may have the best chance to land the job among all the candidates, but if it's him versus the field, it's more likely that someone else not named James Borrego will be the hire.

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