With the 2026 offseason officially underway for the New Orleans Pelicans, the first thing on Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver's agenda is deciding who will be the franchise's next head coach. After parting ways with Willie Green 12 games into last season and naming James Borrego as the interim head coach, the front office has opened an official coaching search. To this point, the names that have been linked to New Orleans aside from Borrego are Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach Darvin Ham and Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley.
But in a recent report from The Stein Line, fans have gotten more clarity on potential candidates for the 2026–27 season.
As previously mentioned, Milwaukee’s Darvin Ham is a strong candidate, along with two new names in San Antonio's Sean Sweeney and Brooklyn's Steve Hetzel. On top of these three names, a pair of former Pelicans guards were highlighted as candidates, as the front office reached out to request permission to interview Detroit Pistons assistant coach Jarrett Jack.
Along with Jack, it has also been reported that four-time NBA All-Star guard Rajon Rondo has been involved in the early stages of the Pelicans' search. Sources told The Stein Line that Rondo has already been interviewed for the position after spending last season as a special assistant under Doc Rivers in Milwaukee.
Jack spent the 2016–17 season in New Orleans, and Rondo would join the Pelicans the following season, 2017-18.
Pelicans target diverse group in search for next head coach
When the Pelicans first opened this coaching search, it felt like the focus should be on candidates who bring something completely different. This is exactly what they are doing with this new list of potential options.
Starting with Steve Hetzel, an assistant under Jordi Fernandez with the Nets. He comes from the Greg Popovich Spurs tree, beginning his NBA career in San Antonio’s video room. That experience has helped mold him as a coach—he is incredibly detail-oriented and takes a ton of pride in player development. These two qualities would be beneficial to a young Pelicans core.
Sean Sweeney, who is the associate head coach under Mitch Johnson in San Antonio, was previously an assistant under Jason Kidd in Dallas from 2021-25. He's known to be defensive-minded and for building aggressive, physical defensive schemes.
Obviously, I've spoken very highly of Darvin Ham in the past, and he remains a strong candidate for good reason. During his two seasons with the Lakers, he owned a 90-74 record, two postseason appearances, and a run to the Western Conference finals in his first year. That resume speaks for itself. Jarrett Jack is a newer name in head coaching circles, but with his 13 years of NBA experience and high IQ, he would be a great option if the Pelicans want to go down the player-coach path. Having a former high-level guard like Jack help mold Jeremiah Fears is definitely exciting.
The most intriguing candidate is Rajon Rondo, who hasn't been a full-time assistant coach but spent last season on Rivers' staff as a special assistant. Rondo has high upside as a home-run option for New Orleans, as while he doesn't have a resume as a coach, his player resume suggests he could transition into an elite NBA head coach.
No matter what path New Orleans takes or whether more candidates emerge, the approach the front office has taken to this point is the right one. Pursuing a wide range of candidates who can all bring a unique perspective and style to this Pelicans team is exactly what's needed, and it'll be exciting to see what path they choose.
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