Pelicans launch head-coaching search; Borrego on short list
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New Orleans Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars told reporters Tuesday that the organization will conduct a full head-coaching search, with interim coach James Borrego included in the pool of candidates.
“What makes him a viable candidate is his ability to communicate with the team every day and to do it in a positive way,” Dumars said of Borrego, who replaced Willie Green in November. “What James did well this year was never let the building completely collapse.”
Search still in early stages
Dumars noted that the front office has not finalized a list of contenders and dismissed several names that have surfaced publicly, including Darvin Ham, Kevin Ollie and Jamahl Mosley. “Sometimes I’m just thinking, ‘Where is that coming from?’” he said. “We are going to go through this process the right way.”
Offseason priorities: toughness over positions
Rather than targeting specific roles, Dumars said he wants to add “more toughness” to a roster he believes is close to winning. “We cannot get banged around, pushed around,” he said. “We have talent, but if you think you’re just going to roll talent out on an NBA court and that’s all you need to do to win, that’s not going to happen.”
Although the club finished with several narrow losses, Dumars rejected the idea of a long rebuild. “When you have that many games where you are right there to win and you don’t know yet how to close out games, that’s different than getting blown out by 20 every night,” he said. “I feel that we are close enough. But it takes some work.”
No plans to move Zion, confidence in Zion-Queen pairing
Dumars brushed aside speculation about trading Zion Williamson and said he is willing to let Williamson and rookie forward Derik Queen develop chemistry. “You’ve got to allow people to grow in this league,” he said. “Sometimes, you’ve got to let players figure it out.”
Path back into first round
New Orleans dealt its own 2026 first-round pick to Atlanta to acquire Queen, but Dumars expressed confidence the team can obtain another first-rounder in June if desired, adding that trading into the back half of the round is more realistic than returning to the lottery.
Source: Hoops Rumors
