Sitting at the bottom of the West, the New Orleans Pelicans finally hit a point they could no longer ignore. As reported by Chris Haynes, the team has parted ways with head coach Willie Green after a poor 2-10 start. Given the expectations for this roster with Zion Williamson and more, the move felt unavoidable. Now the pressure shifts to the front office, and the real question is whether Green will be the only name on the chopping block.

In an interview with NOLA.com’s Jeff Duncan, owner Gayle Benson explained that the decision wasn’t hers. She had delegated that authority to Joe Dumars. “He is assessing Willie and all the players,” she said. Ultimately, it was Dumars who chose to open the Pelicans’ head-coaching job in hopes of sparking change. The twist is that Benson says Dumars has “known Willie since he was a child,” making the move even more striking.

Even GM Dumars faces pressure of his own because, as president of basketball operations, he is responsible for maximizing the roster. Then, the owner believes the Pelicans are built to win now. Benson further said, “We need to improve immediately. Our roster is built for success right now. I will rely on Joe to make these decisions and changes as he sees fit.” Also, firing Willie might seem like a solution, but the Pelicans are bad for a lot of reasons that were out of Willie Green’s control.

Notably, Zion Williamson suffered a hamstring injury, causing him to miss the last six games. Jordan Poole, who the team got to inject some scoring life, will be re-evaluated next week. With their scoring batteries on the sidelines, the Pelicans are averaging a league-worst 108.4 points per game. That’s not to say Willie Green couldn’t have shown some optimism without his stars.

However, it is tough to stay competitive with such injuries. The Dallas Mavericks, who are 3-10, are suffering from an injury plague, too. Whether it was a fair decision is a matter of subjective opinion. But for NOLA to be in a win-now situation, it’s important to have all resources on board. Green, for most of the 12 games, didn’t have that at his disposal.

Willie Green’s tenure as the New Orleans Pelicans head coach

Willie Green’s run in New Orleans has been anything but easy. He took over in 2021, during Zion Williamson’s second season, and still managed to deliver encouraging progress. In his first year as a head coach, Green guided the Pelicans to a 36-46 record, good enough to reach the playoffs through the play-in. Their run ended in the first round against the Suns, but it signaled real potential.

Next season, even with Zion Williamson limited to just 29 games, Green delivered his first winning season, guiding the Pelicans to a 42-40 finish before falling short in the Play-In. Green would follow it up with a 49-win season, this time losing to the Thunder in the first round. Now, Willie Green ended his Pelicans tenure with a 150-190 record in five seasons.

Green’s time in NOLA did briefly bring a winning culture. However, Green failed to win a single playoff series. Moreover, with the squad marred by regular injury troubles, he never had a full roster for a full season. It was a complicated stint, to say the least. It’s unclear what Willie Green’s future holds with all head coaching seats filled around the NBA. But he has shown that he could lead a team. Which team do you think Green will coach next? Let us know your views in the comments below.