Pelicans Make Firm Stance Amid Zion Williamson Trade Rumblings
The New Orleans Pelicans could be undergoing another coaching change this offseason.
Willie Green was fired after 12 games this season, putting an end to his four-plus seasons as the head coach.
James Borrego spent the rest of the season as the interim, and the Pelicans announced they will undergo a coaching search, although Borrego is a candidate for the full-time job.
Another question mark comes regarding superstar forward Zion Williamson. The former No. 1 overall pick has been in trade rumors for some time, although the Pelicans have been hesitant to move him.
On Tuesday, Joe Dumars, the Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations, had a clear stance on the Williamson trade rumblings.
"Even when you say no to people, within two hours its out you had conversations about trading for Zion. We have no intentions of doing that. We are going into the offseason looking forward to Zion coming back next year and playing great again," Dumars said.
"Even when you say no to people, within two hours its out you had conversations about trading for Zion. We have no intentions of doing that. We are going into the offseason looking forward to Zion coming back next year and playing great again"
— Pelicans Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) April 14, 2026
-- Joe Dumars on Zion Williamson pic.twitter.com/B4Lu5HvQle
The Pelicans have made the postseason just twice in the past eight seasons, but both times they lost in the first round.
This season, New Orleans finished with a 26-56 record, nearly 10 games away from the NBA play-in tournament spot.
But, still, they don't seem to be considering trading away Williamson.
Joe Dumars Sends Strong Message to New Orleans Fans
The Pelicans seem intent on doing whatever it takes to maximize the time they have with Williamson on the roster.
And, Dumars had a message for the fans during the press conference on Tuesday.
"We're gonna build. We believe we're gonna win. We believe we're not far from winning... I understand being discouraged but I firmly believe we're gonna win and it's not some long rehaul process... We're grinding on this every day," Dumars said.
"We're gonna build. We believe we're gonna win. We believe we're not far from winning... I understand being discouraged but I firmly believe we're gonna win and its not some long rehaul process... We're grinding on this every day"
— Pelicans Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) April 14, 2026
-- Joe Dumars message to the fans pic.twitter.com/1FjLkuTPTO
First things first is finding a new head coach. Names such as Darvin Ham and Kevin Ollie have been mentioned alongside Borrego, and Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley is another intriguing name if he doesn't return to Orlando.
All in all, the Pelicans face another crucial offseason.
Related: Dejounte Murray Sends Pelicans Message After Shutting Down Trade Request Rumors
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This story was originally published April 14, 2026 at 12:52 PM.