The New Orleans Pelicans concluded their over a month-long head coaching search Monday by announcing they would be hiring former Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley. This hire doesn't come as a massive shocker, as while names like Steve Hetzel, Darvin Ham, and Rajon Rondo were linked to the opening, it was known that the front office thought very highly of Mosley.
The #Pelicans have named Jamahl Mosley as the team’s new head coach, Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars announced today 👏 pic.twitter.com/RRIhoR5lfd
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) May 18, 2026
During his time with Orlando, Mosley helped build that team up and get them out of their rebuilding stage, and the Pelicans' front office was a fan of that. ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the Pelicans feel they are in a similar spot to the Magic when they hired Mosley, aiming to improve year by year and reach the postseason. This is a great mindset, and realistically, when you look at the Pelicans roster and those Magic rosters, it makes sense.
Both teams are built around bulldozing power forwards in Zion Williamson and Paolo Banchero, while also featuring positional size, solid guard play, and depth. But the biggest similarity between the two teams is the lackluster cast at the center spot, and that needs to be addressed.
The Pelicans need to get Mosley a center
When looking at how things ended for Mosley in Orlando, blowing a 3-1 lead in round one to the No. 1-seeded Detroit Pistons, many fans were turned off by this hire. However, context is so important, and for the last several years, Orlando has needed a legit center, yet the front office has neglected to upgrade that spot. Their comfort level in running Wendell Carter Jr. as the team's primary five-man severely lowered the team's ceiling, and the Pelicans can't make the same mistake.
When looking at the projected starting five of Dejounte Murray, Saddiq Bey/Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III, and Zion Williamson, it's obvious that with a real center, this group could be a playoff team.
If the Pelicans want to see Mosley take them along the same path as he did in Orlando, then the front office needs to give him a starting center. The Pelicans have been missing a bruising inside force, someone to set screens, crash the glass, and finish plays. Whether it's with the Non-Tax-Payer Middle Level Exception in free agency, by making a trade, or by trading back into the first round of the draft, the need for a center is real.
Mosley led the Magic to three straight playoff appearances in five years, built a culture, and had one of the league's most elite defenses. However, he was severely limited and failed to help Orlando reach a higher level of success because the front office was unwilling to give him a serious starting-caliber center. Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver need to ensure they don't repeat history by filling the team's void at center this offseason.
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