The New Orleans Pelicans face a massive first obstacle as the 2026 offseason gets underway. After a not-so-successful first season under Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver's leadership, the pressure for results is now on, and that starts with hiring the franchise's next head coach. For a while, the only real candidates fans could cling to were James Borrego, who coached the Pels under the interim tag this past season, Darvin Ham, and Jamahl Mosley. However, in the most recent edition of The Stein Line, four other candidates were revealed.
The four candidates were Brooklyn Nets assistant Steve Hetzel, San Antonio Spurs associate head coach Sean Sweeney, and two former Pelicans guards in Detroit Pistons assistant Jarrett Jack and Rajon Rondo. Jake Fischer reported that New Orleans has reached out to Detroit about interviewing Jack and that Rondo has already interviewed for the head coaching vacancy.
Out of these four new names linked to the Pelicans, the one that has the fan base most excited is by far Rajon Rondo, and for good reason. For an entire decade, he was one of the NBA's best basketball minds, most elite table setters and leaders, so it’s fair to believe those traits could translate to a coaching role is valid. Rondo spent the last two seasons as a special assistant under Doc Rivers with the Milwaukee Bucks.
While he may not have the behind-the-bench experience of the other candidates, he might be the perfect head coach for this young Pelicans group.
Rondo’s case to be the Pelicans' next head coach is strong
Rondo spent one season with the Pelicans back in 2017-18, which happened to be the last time New Orleans advanced past the first round of the playoffs. His on-court leadership was massive in their round one series against Portland as he kept things calm and controlled. Now imagine having that presence coaching up this young, inexperienced group from the sidelines.
This past season, we saw the kind of impact Rondo can have on young talent, especially at the guard position, as he was a huge factor in Ryan Rollins' breakout with the Bucks. Rollins' points per game jumped from 6.2 to 17.3, his assists jumped from 1.9 to 5.6 per game, and he maintained similar efficiency to the season prior. Now bring that type of mentorship he had with Rollins around Jeremiah Fears, who just had one of, if not the strongest, second halves of the season among any rookie in this past class, and his development will skyrocket.
Rondo would bring a strong mix of win-now and win-for-the-future potential, making him an easy frontrunner for the opening.
Considering New Orleans has a combination of win-now talent like Dejounte Murray, Zion Williamson, Saddiq Bey, Herb Jones, and Trey Murphy III, as well as young talent like Fears and Derik Queen, playing two timelines is very much in the cards. What that means is trying to remain competitive while also developing young talent and building up the future. Rondo's track record this past season, helping develop young players with the Bucks, and his winning resume as a two-time NBA Champion, make him a perfect fit for this blueprint.
After a 26-56 season, the Pelicans front office is in no position to play things safe. Although Rajon Rondo may not check every traditional box, he would give this franchise a leader who can connect with players, develop young talent, and flat-out win. Rondo may not have the pedigree of other assistants around the league, but in a couple of years' time, he will, so why not get ahead of the curve and bet on his upside now?
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