Pelicans Make Coaching Change as Turmoil Emerges in Locker Room

The New Orleans Pelicans entered the 2025-26 season with expectations that exceeded any in recent years. After dealing away their 2026 draft pick swap in order to move up and select Derik Queen this past summer, the organization believed the roster was built to take a step forward. Instead, a disastrous 2–11 start pushed the franchise to make an abrupt coaching change, dismissing Willie Green after four seasons.

Green’s exit comes as more reporting surfaces about friction inside the locker room. While his tenure included playoff appearances and player development successes, sources suggest his voice was no longer resonating. Issues involving accountability, communication, and player relationships reportedly played a role in the Pelicans’ decision.

The team’s struggles have been amplified by inconsistency from key players. Trey Murphy III opened the year in a slump after a breakout 2024-25 campaign, while Zion Williamson has once again battled recurring injuries. Those factors, combined with concerns about leadership and messaging, created a volatile environment.

Now, with the season slipping away and organizational pressure mounting, the Pelicans turn to interim coach James Borrego—tasked with stabilizing a team that cannot afford continued regression.

1. Stagnant Messaging and Fractured Dynamics

Reports emerging after Green’s dismissal suggest that portions of the locker room had grown weary of his approach. According to multiple league sources, Murphy’s relationship with Green had cooled after years under the same system. What had once been a steady coach-player dynamic reportedly lost momentum as the team’s struggles mounted. Another concern centered on the handling of franchise cornerstone Zion Williamson. Some within the organization felt Green did not hold the star forward to a consistent standard, particularly amid recurring absences due to injury. Accountability—long a point of emphasis for contending teams—was viewed by some as inconsistent under Green’s leadership. These concerns echoed throughout the organization as personnel changes and offseason moves raised expectations. The Pelicans viewed this season as pivotal, and internal frustrations grew as early losses piled up. Green’s staff attempted adjustments, but the issues were reportedly deep enough that communication no longer carried the same weight. Ultimately, the combination of declining on-court performance and fading locker-room confidence left the front office with little choice, accelerating a decision that might otherwise have come later in the season.

2. Player Struggles Add Fuel to Early-Season Collapse

Murphy’s uneven start was one example of how individual performances contributed to team frustrations. After establishing himself as one of the league’s most promising young wings, his early shooting and rhythm faltered. While he has begun to recover his form, the damage of the slow start was apparent across the team’s offensive structure. Williamson’s situation remains even more complicated. His intermittent availability has shaped nearly every season of his career in New Orleans, and this year has been no different. Though dominant when healthy, his inability to remain consistently on the court created challenges for rotations, chemistry, and long-term planning. The result has been a roster struggling to find identity on both ends of the floor. Offensive lapses and late-game breakdowns repeatedly cost the Pelicans winnable games, compounding the pressure felt internally. The team expected meaningful progress; instead, early signs pointed toward another season defined by inconsistency. These circumstances made the coaching job significantly more difficult, but they also magnified the organizational belief that change was needed to reset both structure and mindset.

3. A Critical Coaching Search and a Narrowing Path Forward

With Borrego now stepping in as interim coach, the Pelicans begin navigating a complicated stretch of the season. Borrego’s previous experience as a head coach in Charlotte gives him a level of familiarity with rebuilding and retooling rosters, but the timing of this transition presents immediate challenges. The franchise’s lack of draft flexibility heightens the stakes. After trading the 2026 pick swap with Milwaukee to Atlanta in order to move up in last year’s draft, New Orleans is highly incentivized to remain competitive. A bottom-tier record would not only reflect poorly on the team’s direction but could also strengthen another franchise’s draft position. Complicating matters is the Western Conference landscape, which remains deep and competitive. At 2–11, the Pelicans sit far from the playoff picture, and climbing back into contention would require a significant turnaround. Early-season gaps can be overcome, but only with strong health, cohesion, and a clear shift in performance. That pressure becomes immediate as the Pelicans prepare to face the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night—a difficult challenge for a team searching for any semblance of momentum.