After a lengthy coaching search, the New Orleans Pelicans have finally found their next head coach, hiring former Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley to a five-year deal. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Pelicans have been in close contact with Mosley since May 4, when the Magic fired him.
Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver went through a lengthy hiring process that included interviewing a wide range of candidates. Some of the more notable names were former Pelicans guard Rajon Rondo, Nets associate head coach Steve Hetzel, Bucks assistant and former Lakers head coach Darvin Ham, and Spurs associate head coach Sean Sweeney. But throughout the entire process, it was reported that Mosley was at the top of the front office’s list, so it's good to see them land the guy they'd been pursuing for so long.
Now with Mosley locked in as the guy to help a core built around Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, and Dejounte Murray reach the postseason, the question is what's next. And there is an obvious answer to that question: finding an offensive coordinator to pair with Mosley.
The Pelicans must learn from Mosley's time in Orlando
Now, the title offensive coordinator is a typical term in the NFL coaching world, but not one that's often used in NBA coaching circles. But as time goes on and I've started to grasp a better concept of what really goes into running the show for an NBA team, I've realized that having a marriage between the head coach and the top assistant is so important. What I mean is that if you have a defense-first HC, having the associate head coach focused on offense is key.
Looking at Mosley's resume from his five years in Orlando, it's clear he is a good culture builder and knows how to build an elite defense. So what can the Pelicans do to maximize those tools? Get him an offensive genius to be second in command on his staff.
During his last three seasons with the Magic, they ranked second in defensive rating in back-to-back seasons and then 12th this past year. But during this same stretch, they never finished higher than 17th in offense. That's where a high-level offensive mind can help Mosley. Looking at those Magic rosters, it's not like they have a ton of elite-level defenders, but similar to the Pelicans, they have versatility and positional size, so copying that recipe shouldn't be hard.
Offensively, though, is where the work will be needed, and finding an assistant capable of building a system around the Pelicans' offensive firepower shouldn't be too hard.
Seeing that Dumars and Weaver have had their eyes on Mosley for as long as they have, there's no doubt in my mind they know his strengths and weaknesses in and out. And with a five-year contract, the front office clearly is heavily invested in Mosley and will be looking to do whatever they can to maximize him, and that starts with an offensive-minded lead assistant.
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