All You Need to Know About the Pelicans' Head Coaching Search

The first order of business for the New Orleans Pelicans in their offseason is to find a permanent head coach. James Borrego finished the season as the interim head coach, and he remains a candidate for the job, but the Pelicans are casting a wide net in their search. So far, plenty of names have been reported as candidates, and the Pelicans have even begun to interview some of them.

List of Reported Candidates

James Borrego, Pelicans interim head coach
Rajon Rondo, former NBA All-Star
Steve Hetzel, Nets assistant
Darvin Ham, Bucks assistant
Sean Sweeney, Spurs assistant
Jarrett Jack, Pistons assistant
Jamahl Mosley, Magic head coach
Kevin Ollie, former UConn head coach

Already interviewed: Rajon Rondo, Steve Hetzel, Darvin Ham

Where Are We in the Process?

It's still early in the offseason, so there should be more movement on the coaching front. A few more head coaches may become available over the next few weeks following their team's playoff exits. Therefore, it makes sense not to rush this process.

Also, some of the coaches the Pelicans are reportedly interested in are still in the playoffs. New Orleans may have to wait until Sweeney and Jack's teams are eliminated from the playoffs to take the next step in the hiring process. According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Report, the Pelicans already reached out to Sweeney and requested permission from Detroit to interview Jack.

Mosley was considered a prime candidate for the job right after the season, but the Magic are currently up 3-1 in the first round. If they manage to pull off the upset against the No. 1 Pistons, one has to assume that he will be back in Orlando for at least another season.

What Does This All Mean?

Pelicans insider Shamit Dua said that every single reported candidate other than Rondo has a direct history with lead decision-makers Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver. Per Dua, they "aren't looking very far beyond relationships."

This is not a bad thing, given that there seems to be a process in place. The Pelicans are doing their due diligence and bringing in different names to the building. The fact that Rondo is even a candidate suggests that they are also not closed to the possibility of an outside-the-box hire. Most of the assistants mentioned as potential candidates are highly coveted names who have been involved in the head coaching hiring cycles before.

What's Next?

Borrego still has a good chance of securing the permanent gig. He has a good relationship with the front office and the organization, and he has shown glimpses of what he can do after he took over from Willie Green last season.

Pelicans fans shouldn't expect a decision soon. How the next couple of weeks of the playoffs shake out could change the landscape and give the Pelicans more options on the market.

One downside is that this could also make the Pelicans' job not a very attractive one if there are playoff teams looking for new head coaches. Yet, it still behooves the Pelicans to be as patient and diligent as possible with the process to ensure the right selection.

This article will be updated with the latest on the Pelicans' head coaching front throughout the process.

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