The New Orleans Pelicans coaching search has officially been narrowed down to four finalists, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. After several weeks of searching, the Pelicans have narrowed things down to Darvin Ham, Rajon Rondo, Steve Hetzel, and Sean Sweeney. Jamahl Mosley was also mentioned as a potential fifth candidate to be monitored.
Before we dive deeper into how each candidate could fit and what styles they bring to this Pelicans team, there's something to mention. If Amick's report is 100 percent accurate, and they usually are, that would mean James Borrego is out of the running. This comes as a massive shock, considering Borrego spent 70 games as the team's interim head coach and already has an established relationship with the roster.
Borrego was also the first official candidate named in the search following the end of the Pelicans regular season, so to see his name off the list is surprising. It is worth noting that Shamit Dua did claim that Amick's report isn't fully accurate, and while he didn't provide clarity on what that means, I would just say it could suggest other candidates haven't been fully ruled out.
A squad of strong candidates
Sticking to the four names Amick mentioned in his report, all four of the options would be great fits with this Pelicans team. And no matter which direction is taken, it's clear that Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver really did a great job finding candidates who could help build something in New Orleans.
Starting with the biggest name and the one many fans have latched onto, Rajon Rondo. The former All-Star point guard and two-time NBA Champion has spent two seasons on Doc Rivers' staff in Milwaukee and is eager to make the jump to a head coaching role. During his playing career, Rondo was always a natural leader and the smartest guy on the court, so the transition to a head coaching role should be rather seamless. However, if the Rondo route is the one the Pelicans pick to ensure it's successful, they'll have to surround him with former head coaches or very experienced assistants.
Next up is Steve Hetzel.
While Rondo would be a fun, exciting hire and someone the fan base could really rally behind, I still think Hetzel is the best option. He's been in NBA coaching circles for nearly 20 years and has been patiently waiting for a head coaching gig. Hetzel is now a developmental coach and prides himself on film sessions and film discussions stemming from his time in the San Antonio Spurs video room. He's spent the past couple of seasons as Jordi Fernandez 's top-ranking assistant with the Brooklyn Nets.
Hetzel could be the perfect coach to lead the Pelicans to postseason success with Zion Williamson at the helm or develop the young core into a sustainable force out West.
Sean Sweeney is in a similar boat to Hetzel, with both coaches having been in the NBA as assistants for a long time. Sweeney is best known for his time in Dallas from 2021-25, when he helped orchestrate the defense that guided the Mavericks to the 2024 NBA Finals. Sweeney is currently the associate head coach under Mitch Johnson in San Antonio. The only concern that hiring Sweeney really presents is that he is a defense-first coach, and the Pelicans’ current roster doesn't reflect that style at all.
Lastly is good ol' Darvin Ham. Many fans hate the idea of this hire, but I'm not part of that group. Sure, his time with the Lakers didn't work out, but he did reach a conference final in his first year as a head coach and led LA to two straight playoff appearances. I'd argue there are only a handful of teams in the league that would fire a first-time head coach after two years with those results.
With Amick's report suggesting that New Orleans is down to just four candidates, a decision could potentially come by the end of the week. And whether it’s Ham, Hetzel, Sweeney, or Rondo, the Pelicans are going to be in great hands for the foreseeable future.
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