Coming off two straight seasons of failing to even reach the 30-win mark, the New Orleans Pelicans were widely expected to make major changes as the offseason began. Some suggested a full rebuild, trading Zion Williamson, or making win-now moves to maximize this current core. Joe Dumars appears to have other plans. He spoke openly about how he believes this group isn’t far off from being a good team, is invested in Zion Williamson, and wants to see the majority of the roster run it back.
Those sentiments during his end-of-season press conference were deflating for a fanbase that is desperate for direction.
Thankfully, it’s not all bad. According to Pelicans insider Shamit Dua, the front office decided not to retain several staff members. Dua reported that more than a dozen of the team's basketball operations staff are out, as several of the affected members were in the last year of their contracts or had team options that weren't picked up. He also stated that change is expected to affect the team's medical and performance staff.
The two most notable staffers let go were assistant coaches Corey Brewer and Casey Hill, both of whom had been with the Pelicans since Stan Van Gundy was the head coach in 2020-21.
Although the front office hasn't made any crazy roster changes, seeing them make staff changes is a positive sign. It means that even if they plan to run back a similar core, it'll be viewed through a different set of eyes.
A step in the right direction
Fans may have to start viewing this offseason as year one of the Dumars regime instead of year two.
Despite taking over last summer, the majority of the team's staff was still from the previous regime entering the 2025-26 season, including now-former head coach Willie Green. More than ever, it appears Dumars and general manager Troy Weaver used this past season as an evaluation year to figure out who they felt was worth retaining and who wasn't going to fit into their long-term vision. Although that's not a common strategy, when a new decision-maker takes over a team, it can be valuable because it brings a fresh set of eyes to an old situation.
Dumars and Weaver spent this whole season figuring out what they could salvage from the previous front office's work, and it could really benefit this group long-term. With the right coaching, surrounding pieces, medical staff, and player evaluation group, the Pelicans may be able to turn things around next season.
While these aren’t the major changes fans thought were coming, seeing multiple staff members be let go shows a willingness to adapt, which is something the Pelicans haven't had for a long time.
Add us as a preferred source on Google