Willie Green’s tenure with New Orleans in the hands of Joe Dumars
No team in the NBA has been more disappointing this year than the New Orleans Pelicanswho are currently 2-9 heading into Friday night’s matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers. New Orleans entered this year hoping to return to the playoffs after the 2024-25 season, but so far the team appears to be among the worst in the NBA.
All of this leads some fans to wonder why the head coach Willie Green there is still work to do. Most recently, the owner of the Pelicans is Gaile Benson was asked about chain of command as it relates to deciding Green’s future with the franchise.
“I really like Willie Green, but I hired Joe Dumars to evaluate our basketball operation. And that’s what he’s doing. He’s evaluating Willie and all the players. He and I spent the whole halftime (of Wednesday night’s Portland Trail Blazers game) talking. When he makes a decision, it’s up to him. That’s what he said, that’s why he said No.
“I trust Joe, because I feel like he knows people. He’s known Willie since he was a kid, so they know each other. And if he can solve that problem, then he’s going to solve it. If he can’t, then it’s going to be his decision, not mine. I’ve left that in his hands,” Benson said.
Tough start for the Pelicans
Sitting at 2-9, with Zion Williamson already dealing with injuries, would be bad enough as it is. Making matters tenfold worse for the Pelicans is the fact that they don’t have their first-round pick next year thanks to the cryptic trade they made with the Atlanta Hawks in the draft to move up and select Derrick Quinn.
The good news is that Quinn has been performing well of late, but he’ll need to blossom into a legitimate star to justify giving up what could be a high lottery pick in a loaded 2026 draft class.
Either way, the Pelicans will next hit the floor Friday night at home against the Los Angeles Lakers.
2025-11-14 21:20:00
