The New Orleans Pelicans' season has been a rollercoaster, to say the least. With a record of 15-41, it's clear that something needs to change. But here's where it gets controversial: despite the team's struggles, interim head coach James Borrego deserves a full season as the Pelicans' head coach. Let's dive into why.
Since Borrego took over on November 15, following the firing of Willie Green, the Pelicans have shown some promising signs. While their record might suggest otherwise, the numbers tell a different story. The Pelicans have a -3.7 net rating under Borrego, which is more in line with a 32-win team in a full season. This means that the Pelicans have won 4.2 fewer games than their point differential would suggest, according to Cleaning the Glass (https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/league/summary?season=2025&seasontype=regseason&start=11/15/2025&end=10/15/2026).
But what's even more intriguing is that the Pelicans have been the unluckiest team in the league in terms of point differential. They get to the rim more than any other team in the NBA, taking 43.9% of their field goals at the rim since Borrego took over. This has resulted in the best location effective field goal percentage in the league, per Cleaning the Glass (https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/league/shots?season=2025&seasontype=regseason&start=11/15/2025&end=10/15/2026#tab-offenseshootingfrequency).
So, what's the issue? It's not that Borrego is a bad coach. In fact, the Pelicans' issues are more personnel-related than coaching. New Orleans has a ton of weaknesses up and down the roster, from the Zion Williamson-Derik Queen pairing to the lack of shooting and the poor backcourt depth. The team's best shot creator is Zion Williamson, who needs spacing around him, and the best passer is their rookie center.
Despite these challenges, the Pelicans under Borrego are 17th in the league in offensive rating, given the level of talent on the team. This is a promising mark, and it's clear that Borrego has earned himself at least one full season as the Pelicans' head coach. But the question remains: will the Pelicans give him the roster he needs to succeed?
The Pelicans have to give Borrego a chance next season and beyond. With the right personnel, he could turn this team into a competitive force in the stacked Western Conference. So, will the Pelicans remove his interim tag and give him a full-time role? That's the question on everyone's mind. And this is the part most people miss: the Pelicans have not put Borrego in a position to succeed with the roster they have built. To truly judge his job, they need to give him a roster that makes sense.
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