Spurs, Pelicans To Play Two Games In Europe Next Season
May 20: The NBA has officially confirmed that the Spurs and Pelicans will face one another at the Accor Arena in Paris on January 14, 2027 and at Co-op Live in Manchester on January 17. The latter contest will be the first regular season game to be played in Manchester.
May 17: Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs will return to Paris, France during the 2026/27 season, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line, who reports (via Substack) that the Pelicans are San Antonio’s expected opponent.
The Spurs split a pair of games in Paris against the Pacers in January 2025. This coming January (2027), they’re slated to play one game in Paris and one in Manchester, England, Stein writes.
Orlando and Memphis split this year’s NBA games in Europe, which took place in Berlin, Germany and London, England. Magic forward Franz Wagner and his older brother Moritz Wagner are both Berlin natives.
Stein hears the league has targeted Berlin and Paris as the 2028 hosts of the two European games.
After going 62-20 during the regular season and dispatching Portland and Minnesota in the first two rounds of the playoffs, the Spurs are set to face the defending champion Thunder on Monday in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals. The Pelicans went just 26-56 in 2025/26, tied for the seventh-worst record in the league.
Coaching Rumors: Splitter, Blazers, Bulls, Bickerstaff, More
After reporting a couple weeks ago that Tiago Splitter was unlikely to be hired as the Trail Blazers‘ head coach, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) has walked back that report to some extent.
As Fischer explains, there was initially pessimism that Portland would promote Splitter to the permanent job after he spent the majority of 2025/26 as the Blazers’ interim head coach. However, he heard “whispers” on Monday that the possibility can’t be ruled out.
Splitter, who was hired as an assistant last June, took over the top coaching post when Chauncey Billups was arrested on federal charges and placed on unpaid leave after the first game of the regular season. Splitter did an admirable job, leading the team to a 42-39 record and earning Portland’s first playoff spot in five years.
In addition to his success with the Blazers, the former NBA big man also earned “real respect” around the league for the way he handled himself and guided the team during an unprecedented situation, Fischer writes. As such, he’s still believed to be a candidate for the full-time job “on some level.”
For what it’s worth, Kurt Helin of NBC Sports says the “buzz in league circles” is new majority owner Tom Dundon isn’t a “big fan” of Splitter.
Other candidates for Portland’s head coaching vacancy include assistant coaches Micah Nori (Timberwolves), Jared Dudley (Nuggets), Steve Hetzel (Nets) and Greg St. Jean (Lakers), Fischer notes.
Here are several other coaching rumors from around the NBA:
- K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network continues to hear Sean Sweeney (Spurs), James Borrego (who spent ’25/26 as the Pelicans’ interim coach), Nori, and current Bulls assistant Wes Unseld Jr. are among the candidates to replace Billy Donovan as Chicago’s head coach (Twitter link). According to Fischer, all four of those coaches are expected to interview for the job, as is Thunder assistant Dave Bliss. Fischer has also been told the Bulls plan to request permission to interview Splitter, but it’s unclear if Portland will grant that request since Splitter is technically still under contract through next season.
- Like Hunter Patterson of The Athletic, Fischer says the Pistons remain fully committed to head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, whom the team just signed to a contract extension after advancing to the second round of the playoffs. Bickerstaff’s extension is worth at least $10MM per year, according to Fischer, who confirms Taylor Jenkins received an eight-figure salary as well when he was hired by the Bucks. Jenkins reportedly received a six-year deal.
- Fischer, who previously reported that the Hawks were expected to discuss an extension with Quin Snyder, hears from sources that a new deal between the two sides is now considered imminent. General manager Onsi Saleh praised Snyder after Atlanta was eliminated from the playoffs. As with Bickerstaff and Jenkins, Snyder’s new contract is expected to be around eight figures, Fischer adds.
Pelicans Hire Jamahl Mosley As Head Coach
12:02 pm: The Pelicans have officially confirmed that they’ve hired Mosley as their new head coach, announcing the move in a press release.
“Jamahl has earned tremendous respect across the NBA for his leadership, professionalism, and the strong relationships he develops with players and staff,” Pelicans executive VP of basketball operations Joe Dumars said in a statement. “He has consistently demonstrated an ability to develop young talent while establishing teams that compete with toughness, discipline, and togetherness. His teams reflect his coaching style through their defensive intensity, effort, preparation, and commitment to playing the right way. Those qualities reinforce the long-term stability of a winning culture.”
9:55 am: The Pelicans will hire Jamahl Mosley as their next head coach on a five-year contract, sources tell ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link).
Team officials have been in “constant communication” with Mosley since he was fired by the Magic on May 4 following their first-round playoff loss, Charania adds. They were able to meet in person during last week’s draft combine in Chicago.
Charania states that the Pelicans believe their situation is similar to Orlando’s in 2021 when Mosley took over following a 21-61 season. Mosley steadily built the Magic into a playoff team that placed a heavy emphasis on having one of the league’s best defenses.
Mosley will replace interim coach James Borrego, who was among the candidates that were interviewed during the search. He was hired as the team’s associate head coach in 2024 and compiled a 24-46 record after Willie Green was dismissed in November. There’s no word yet on whether Borrego will remain with the franchise or what the plans are to round out Mosley’s staff.
The Pelicans had been conducting a coaching search since the regular season ended more than a month ago, and there was speculation that their interest in Mosley was the reason the process was taking so long. Jake Fischer of The Stein Line first mentioned Mosley as a potential candidate all the way back in the fall when Green was let go, while Michael Scotto confirmed last month that the coach had “several admirers” in New Orleans.
Other reported candidates for the job included Bucks coaching associate Rajon Rondo, Nets assistant coach Steve Hetzel, Spurs assistant Sean Sweeney, and Bucks associate head coach Darvin Ham.
Mosley had a 189-221 record in his five seasons with the Magic and led the team to three playoff appearances. However, his failure to advance past the first round led to his dismissal as he lost in seven, five and seven games over the last three years.
He’ll be in charge of a Pelicans team that has underachieved in recent seasons, but features a good mix of veteran players and young talent, Charania notes in a full story. New Orleans doesn’t own its first-round pick in this year’s draft, and its only current selection is at No. 58.
The Pelicans’ decision leaves Orlando, Chicago and Portland as the remaining teams without head coaches in place.
Pelicans Expected To Hire New Head Coach Within Next Few Days
The Pelicans formally confirmed their search for a new head coach at the end of the regular season, but over a month later, they have yet to hire anyone for the job. Will Guillory of The Athletic expects New Orleans to finalize its coaching decision “early this week” (Twitter link).
Executives at last week’s draft combine speculated that Jamahl Mosley is the reason for the Pelicans’ hiring delay, writes Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link). New Orleans has been linked to Mosley since at least November, Stein notes, and the team is believed to be waiting to see if Mosley will emerge has a “full-fledged prime candidate.”
According to Stein, Mosley still had two years left on his contract when he was fired by Orlando a couple weeks ago, giving him the option to step away from coaching for a time if he so chooses. The 47-year-old was the Magic’s head coach for five years and was an assistant for 15 seasons before that.
Rod Walker of NOLA.com reported at the beginning of May that Bucks coaching associate Rajon Rondo, Nets assistant coach Steve Hetzel, Bucks associate head coach Darvin Ham and James Borrego were the frontrunners for the Pelicans’ coaching job. Borrego finished out 2025/26 as the team’s interim coach after Willie Green was dismissed 12 games into the season.
At the time, Walker viewed Rondo and Hetzel as the favorites for the position. A subsequent report from Jake Fischer stated that Hetzel and Ham made “strong impressions” on Pelicans team officials during the search.
2026 NBA Head Coaching Search Tracker
Multiple teams around the NBA are making head coaching changes in advance of the 2026/27 season. In the space below, we’ll provide regular updates on the head coaching searches for each club that has yet to give anyone the permanent title. Some of these searches could extend well into the offseason, so be sure to check back often for the latest updates.
You’ll be able to access this page anytime under the “Hoops Rumors Features” menu on the right sidebar on our desktop site, or on the “Features” page in our mobile menu.
Updated 6-5-26 (6:31 am CT)
Active Searches
Chicago Bulls
- Previous coach:
- Billy Donovan (story)
- Reportedly considering:
- Bulls assistant Wes Unseld Jr. (story)
- Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori (story)
- Heat assistant Chris Quinn (story)
- Former Pelicans coach James Borrego (story)
- Thunder assistant Dave Bliss (story)
- Hornets assistant Lamar Skeeter (story)
- Hawks assistant Ryan Schmidt (story)
- Former Warriors assistant Jerry Stackhouse (story)
- Cavaliers assistant Johnnie Bryant (story)
- BYU coach Kevin Young (story)
- Trail Blazers interim coach Tiago Splitter (story)
The Bulls parted ways with top front office executives Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley shortly after the regular season ended, but seemed prepared – or even eager – to bring back Donovan. Ultimately though, with the team seemingly entering a rebuilding period, Donovan decided against returning, having reportedly determined that both sides would benefit from a fresh start.
Donovan’s exit puts new executive VP of basketball operations Bryson Graham in position to choose his own head coach in his first year on the job. It will be a big offseason for Graham, who is also reshaping the Bulls’ front office.
Dallas Mavericks
- Previous coach:
- Jason Kidd (story)
- Reportedly considering:
Before the Mavericks hired Masai Ujiri to run their front office, all indications were that the Mavericks envisioned Kidd remaining a fixture on the sidelines in Dallas. The Mavs extended Kidd in 2024 and again in 2025, and he reportedly still had four years and more than $40MM left on his contract entering this offseason.
However, Ujiri was noncommittal about Kidd’s future during his introductory press conference in early May, and less than two weeks later, word broke that the two sides had agreed to part ways. While it was framed as a mutual decision, it sure sounds as if Ujiri wanted to start with a clean slate as he looks to find the right coach to help turn Cooper Flagg into a superstar.
Portland Trail Blazers
- Previous coach:
- Tiago Splitter (interim)
- Reported finalists:
- Also reportedly considered:
- Clippers assistant Jeff Van Gundy (story)
- Jazz assistant Mike Williams (story)
- Former Warriors assistant Jerry Stackhouse (story)
- Nuggets assistant Jared Dudley (story)
- Rockets assistant Ben Sullivan (story)
- Nets assistant Steve Hetzel (story)
- Lakers assistant Greg St. Jean (story)
- Rockets assistant Royal Ivey (story)
- St. Louis University coach Josh Schertz (story)
- Iowa coach Ben McCollum (story)
- Celtics assistant D.J. MacLeay (story)
- Heat consultant Noah LaRoche (story)
- Brisbane Bullets coach/president Will Weaver (story)
- Hawks assistant Bryan Bailey (story)
- Former Mavericks coach Jason Kidd (story)
The Trail Blazers may end up technically replacing two head coaches this offseason. While Chauncey Billups was never technically fired, it seems pretty safe to assume his coaching tenure in Portland is over following his October arrest on money laundering and wire fraud conspiracy charges. Splitter did an admirable job upon being promoted from his assistant role, leading the Blazers to their first playoff berth in five years, but he’s one of several candidates being considered for the permanent position.
The involvement of new team owner Tom Dundon is a wild-card factor here. At least one report has indicated that Dundon wants to interview upwards of 30 candidates for the job in the hopes of gathering as much intel as possible on the coaching market. There have also been rumors suggesting that Dundon isn’t looking to spend more than about $1.5MM per year, which would make the Blazers’ coach the lowest-paid in the NBA. However, sources connected to the Blazers’ owner and the team have pushed back on those reports.
For what it’s worth, some experienced coaches – including Michael Malone and Tom Thibodeau – reportedly rebuffed the Blazers’ efforts to speak to them when they launched their search while Splitter was still coaching the team in the playoffs.
Completed Searches
Milwaukee Bucks
- New coach:
- Taylor Jenkins (story)
- Previous coach:
- Doc Rivers (story)
- Also reportedly considered:
- Bucks assistant Darvin Ham (story)
When the Bucks announced their split with Rivers, they said he was “stepping down,” and the Hall of Famer later insisted it was “100%” his decision to leave. Still, it sure seemed by the end of the season that both sides were ready for a change, with one report in early April suggesting there had been a “season-long disconnect” between Rivers and his players.
While Milwaukee likely looked at a few more candidates who went unreported, it didn’t take the team long to zero in on Jenkins. He was identified even before the end of the regular season as a top target, and the Bucks reportedly reached a deal with him just 10 days after confirming that Rivers wouldn’t return.
Jenkins’ track record of player development, culture-setting, and competitiveness during his time as Memphis’ head coach was said to appeal to the Bucks, who invested heavily in him. One report said he received a six-year deal, while another said he’ll be paid “well north” of $10MM annually.
New Orleans Pelicans
- New coach:
- Jamahl Mosley (story)
- Previous coach:
- James Borrego (interim)
- Also reportedly considered:
After firing Willie Green early in the 2025/26 season, the Pelicans turned to Borrego, who was the lead assistant on Green’s staff and had previous head coaching stints in Orlando and Charlotte. New Orleans played a little better after the coaching change, but Borrego didn’t exactly lock up the permanent job by leading the club to a 24-46 record, so the front office opened up its search to outside candidates this spring.
While New Orleans reportedly considered candidates like Rondo, Ham, Hetzel, and Sweeney, it seemed as if the Pelicans were just waiting to see whether Mosley would be available. Their interest in Orlando’s head coach was reported way back in November when Green was let go, so when the Magic dismissed Mosley in early May following its first-round playoff exit, the only question was whether or not he’d want to take a year off after spending the past five seasons with the Magic.
As it turned out, Mosley was eager to jump right into a new job and agreed to a five-year contract to become New Orleans’ new head coach. The Pelicans are said to be optimistic that Mosley, who took over a 21-win Magic squad and eventually guided the team to three consecutive playoff appearances, can lead the 26-56 Pelicans on a similar upward trajectory.
Orlando Magic
The Magic entered the season projected to be one of the top three or four teams in the East and instead spent most of the year battling for play-in positioning. Injuries were a factor, but the club’s performance was still disappointing enough that Mosley was on the hot seat for much of the second half. It briefly looked in the first round of the playoffs like he might be able to save his job when Orlando took a 3-1 lead on the top-seeded Pistons, but with Franz Wagner sidelined, the team lost the final three games of that series and Mosley was dismissed less than 24 hours later.
No Magic players under contract for 2026/27 are over 28 years old, but this is still a veteran roster with win-now expectations, so there was an expectation that Orlando’s head coaching hire would reflect that, with the team favoring someone with previous experience. And two of the finalists in the search, Donovan and Van Gundy, certainly fit that bill.
But it was the third finalist, Sweeney, who reportedly “blew away” team officials during the interview process and earned the job, with Orlando opting for another first-time head coach. Although getting deeper into the playoffs is their primary goal, the Magic also believe there’s more room for their current core players to grow and value Sweeney’s player development trade record.
Sweeney reportedly signed a four-year contract with the Magic.
Sixers Notes: Morey, McCain, Trade Deadline, Embiid, Front Office Candidates
Daryl Morey’s post-trade assessment that “we sold high” when he sent Jared McCain to Oklahoma City in February continues to be mocked in Philadelphia, writes Adam Aaronson of The Philly Voice. While Jake Fischer has reported that trade wasn’t the “proverbial last straw” for Morey in Philadelphia, the deal – combined with the failure to get another player to replace McCain in the rotation – may have factored into the executive’s dismissal this week as the Sixers‘ president of basketball operations.
The only return in that deal with the Thunder was a first-round pick originally belonging to Houston that wound up at No. 22 in this year’s draft. McCain’s roster spot was given to Cameron Payne, who had been playing in Serbia, but he was waived after suffering a hamstring strain in the final week of the season. Two-way player Dalen Terry was promoted to take his place and saw minimal playing time in the postseason.
Morey approached the deadline looking for “cost-effective role players with multiple years of control,” a source tells Aaronson, and his top target was Thunder shooting guard Aaron Wiggins. Morey was hoping to land Wiggins as part of the McCain deal, but Philadelphia would have needed to include multiple other players to make the trade work. OKC held onto Wiggins, and Aaronson notes that McCain has played a role in pushing him out of the Thunder’s rotation.
Aaronson also hears that Morey offered multiple second-round picks to the Bulls for Jalen Smith, but Chicago opted to keep him. Two other prime targets were Rockets forward Tari Eason and Pelicans forward Saddiq Bey, who both remained with their teams through the deadline. Aaronson’s source said the Sixers made attempts to land the Mavericks‘ Naji Marshall, the Timberwolves‘ Donte DiVincenzo, the Warriors‘ Brandin Podziemski and the Suns‘ Ryan Dunn as well. None of those players wound up being traded.
Morey liked the potential fit of Ayo Dosunmu, who has been a valuable contributor in Minnesota’s playoff run, according to Aaronson’s source, but didn’t prioritize him because of his expiring contract. Aaronson reports that the team also had some interest in Vit Krejci, who was sent from Atlanta to Portland four days prior to the deadline in exchange for two second-round picks. Philadelphia had numerous second-rounders to offer, but Morey reportedly didn’t want to commit to a deal with so much time remaining before the deadline.
There’s more on the Sixers:
- Morey’s relationship with star center Joel Embiid appeared to deteriorate throughout the season, Aaronson adds. Embiid expressed displeasure with management at the trade deadline and again when he was held out of a game in early April, and he refused to comment directly on Morey when asked about their relationship during the playoffs.
- Bob Myers, who will be leading the search to replace Morey, could probably have the job if he tells managing partner Josh Harris that he wants it, Aaronson suggests in a separate story. If Myers opts to remain in his current role as president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, Aaronson identifies a few other candidates, including Elton Brand, who served as Morey’s top assistant, and Vince Rozman, who spent 16 years with the organization before joining OKC’s front office in 2022. Pistons senior vice president Dennis Lindsey and Timberwolves GM Matt Lloyd, who were both finalists to run Chicago’s front office, are also on the list, along with Spurs assistant GM Dave Telep, Celtics assistant GM Dave Lewin and prominent agents Austin Brown and Alex Saratsis.
- In a mailbag column, Aaronson examines some options for the Sixers in free agency and explains why the team shouldn’t try to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
2026 NBA Draft Picks By Team
The Bulls, who pivoted to rebuilding mode after being eliminated in the play-in tournament in three straight years from 2023-25, and the Spurs, who went from 34 wins a year ago to 62 this season, appear headed in opposite directions. But the two organizations do have one thing in common — they’re the only two teams in the NBA who control more than three picks in this year’s draft.
Chicago, which moved up to No. 4 as a result of Sunday’s draft lottery, also controls the 15th, 38th, and 56th picks. San Antonio has just one first-rounder at No. 20, but its other three picks – Nos. 35, 42, and 44 – are in the top half of the second round.
Besides the Spurs and Bulls, nine other teams own more than the typical two picks, and several of those clubs have at least one top-10 selection. The Wizards, Grizzlies, Clippers, Nets, Kings, Hawks, and Mavericks each have three selections, including one in the top nine. The Thunder and Knicks are the other two clubs who control three 2026 picks.
Those 11 teams own a combined 35 picks in June’s draft, while eight others control two apiece and nine more have one each. That means there are just two teams without a pick this year: the Pacers and Trail Blazers. Both teams had protected first-rounders, but Portland sacrificed its lottery-protected pick when it earned a playoff spot, while Indiana had a worst possible outcome in the lottery, as its top-four protected pick fell to No. 5.
To present a clearer picture of which teams are most – and least – stocked with picks for the 2026 NBA draft, we’ve rounded up all 60 selections by team in the space below. Let’s dive in…
Teams with more than two picks:
- Chicago Bulls (4): 4, 15, 38, 56
- San Antonio Spurs (4): 20, 35, 42, 44
- Washington Wizards (3): 1, 51, 60
- Memphis Grizzlies (3): 3, 16, 32
- Los Angeles Clippers (3): 5, 36, 52
- Brooklyn Nets (3): 6, 33, 43
- Sacramento Kings (3): 7, 34, 45
- Atlanta Hawks (3): 8, 23, 57
- Dallas Mavericks (3): 9, 30, 48
- Oklahoma City Thunder (3): 12, 17, 37
- New York Knicks (3): 24, 31, 55
Teams with two picks:
- Golden State Warriors: 11, 54
- Miami Heat: 13, 41
- Charlotte Hornets: 14, 18
- Toronto Raptors: 19, 50
- Denver Nuggets: 26, 49
- Boston Celtics: 27, 40
- Minnesota Timberwolves: 28, 59
- Houston Rockets: 39, 53
Teams with one pick:
- Utah Jazz: 2
- Milwaukee Bucks: 10
- Detroit Pistons: 21
- Philadelphia 76ers: 22
- Los Angeles Lakers: 25
- Cleveland Cavaliers: 29
- Orlando Magic: 46
- Phoenix Suns: 47
- New Orleans Pelicans: 58
Teams with no picks:
- Indiana Pacers
- Portland Trail Blazers
Southwest Notes: Champagnie, Pelicans, Rockets, Grizzlies
Julian Champagnie‘s improved rebounding has been an overlooked part of the Spurs‘ success this season, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. Head coach Mitch Johnson tasked Champagnie with improving his work on the glass at the start of 2025/26 and the fourth-year small forward responded by averaging a career-high 5.8 rebounds per game after pulling down 3.9 RPG a year ago.
Champagnie has been steadily productive in the playoffs, averaging 10.8 PPG, 5.9 RPG and 1.3 SPG while shooting a blistering hot 55.0% from three-point range in eight appearances, all starts (28.1 MPG). He grabbed 12 boards — a career playoff high — during Friday’s win in Minnesota, Orsborn notes.
“It’s a vital part of a playoff team,” Johnson said of Champagnie’s rebounding. “Typically, you have to do more than just one thing in terms of being a specialist. And when you become an elite rebounder like that, it’s a really, really impactful thing because it is the transition from your defense to your offense or it’s creating more opportunities for your offense.”
Champagnie, 24, is eligible for a veteran contract extension.
Here’s more from around the Southwest:
- Fans in New Orleans were paying close attention to Sunday’s draft lottery even though the Pelicans didn’t control their own pick, as Rod Walker of NOLA.com writes. Walker’s story was released before the lottery results, which saw the Hawks acquire the No. 8 overall pick to complete last year’s Derik Queen trade. The full trade saw the Pelicans receive the No. 13 overall pick in 2025 (Queen), while the Hawks acquired No. 23 overall pick in 2025 (Asa Newell) and No. 8 overall in 2026 (to be determined). “Human nature kicks in,” head of basketball operations Joe Dumars said at the end of the season. “Of course I’m going to follow it.”
- The Rockets‘ offseason could be complicated by Tari Eason‘s restricted free agency and their proximity to the 2026/27 tax aprons, and there’s a chance their free agent signings might not be finalized until the fall, similar to the Warriors’ situation with Jonathan Kuminga last year, Yossi Gozlan of Third Apron (Substack link) states in his offseason preview. Gozlan identifies 2025 free agent addition Dorian Finney-Smith as a potential salary-dump candidate since he’s entering the final guaranteed year of his contract after offseason surgery limited his effectiveness with Houston in ’25/26. Moving Finney-Smith without taking money back could put the Rockets below the luxury tax line, depending on what other moves they make, Gozlan adds. Amen Thompson (potential rookie scale extension), Eason, and Fred VanVleet ($25MM player option) are among the other contract situations Gozlan examines.
- Memphis jumped up from No. 6 to No. 3 in today’s draft lottery after injuries and tanking measures down the stretch. The Grizzlies also control the 16th overall pick (via Phoenix) and the 32nd pick (via Indiana). While adding elite prospects to a young core featuring Cedric Coward, Zach Edey and Jaylen Wells will be their top priority, finding a trade for Ja Morant is the other major decision hanging over the Grizzlies’ offseason, Keith Smith writes in his preview for Spotrac.
2026 NBA Offseason Preview: New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans went 49-33 in 2023/24 and entered the playoffs as the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference after winning their second play-in game. However, they were swept by Oklahoma City in the first round, leading to questions about the direction of the roster.
A plethora of injuries derailed New Orleans' 2024/25 campaign, as the team went just 21-61, the second-worst win-loss percentage (.256) in franchise history. That led to the February 2025 trade of Brandon Ingram and the end-of-season dismissal of former head of basketball operations David Griffin, who had been with the team since 2019, when the Pelicans landed the No. 1 overall pick and selected Zion Williamson.
Instead of embarking on a full-fledged search for a new front office executive, owner Gayle Benson instead quickly hired Shreveport native Joe Dumars, who had been working in the league office since 2022. Dumars, a Hall of Fame shooting guard who spent his entire playing career with Detroit, was previously the Pistons' top basketball executive as well as an advisor in Sacramento.
Dumars' first major hire was a surprising one -- he added former Pistons GM Troy Weaver as his top lieutenant (Weaver holds dual titles of senior VP of basketball operations and general manager). Dumars' tenure in Detroit didn't overlap with Weaver's at all, but obviously they were familiar with one another.
The new front office regime in New Orleans, which also features Dumars' son Jordan Dumars, made some significant roster moves last summer, starting with trading CJ McCollum, Kelly Olynyk and a 2027 second-round pick to the Wizards for Jordan Poole, Saddiq Bey (who missed all of '24/25 due to a torn ACL) and the 2025 second-round pick that turned into Micah Peavy.
That trade was a mixed bag. Poole had a disappointing first season as a Pelican following a modest bounce-back year as a Wizard in '24/25. On the plus side, Bey vastly outplayed his team-friendly deal in his return from a major knee injury, and Peavy showed some flashes as a rookie.
The second deal was a major one, as the Pelicans sent last year's No. 23 overall pick and an unprotected 2026 first-rounder -- the most favorable of their own pick or the Bucks' -- to the Hawks to move up to No. 13 and select Derik Queen. The former Maryland big man had a promising rookie campaign, but obviously the opportunity cost was significant. We'll find out in two days at the draft lottery where the 2026 first-rounder will land, but there's a 90% chance it will be in the top eight and a 40% chance it'll be a top-four selection.
The Dumars-led front office filled out last season's roster with big men Kevon Looney (two years, $16MM including a team option) and DeAndre Jordan (minimum salary). They combined to play just 33 games in '25/26, but provided examples of veteran leadership to a relatively young group.
While the Pelicans had better health luck in '25/26 and their roster looked a little different, their on-court results were very similar. They finished just 25-56, registering the third-worst win percentage (.317) in franchise history and tying for the seventh-worst mark in the league. Now the big question is if New Orleans will prioritize continuity or consider retooling the roster again this summer.
The Pelicans' Offseason Plans
The first order of business for the Pelicans is finding a new permanent head coach. Rajon Rondo, Steve Hetzel, James Borrego and Darvin Ham are said to be the frontrunners for the job, but that was before the Magic fired Jamahl Mosley, whom the Pelicans are reportedly fans of. It's unclear if Mosley will factor into the search.
Coaching Rumors: Splitter, Blazers, Pelicans, Thibodeau
Tiago Splitter did an admirable job in Portland after taking over for Chauncey Billups during the first week of the 2025/26 season, leading the team to a 42-39 record the rest of the way and earning a playoff spot. However, sources with knowledge of the situation tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) that Splitter appears unlikely to be hired as the Trail Blazers‘ permanent head coach.
The Blazers’ goal is to interview upwards of 30 candidates for the job, according to Fischer, who explains that new team owner Tom Dundon wants to gather as much intel as possible on the coaching market before making a decision. However, the manner in which Dundon has operated since taking over control of the team – immediately implementing cost-cutting measures and launching the head coaching search before the season ended – has turned off some potential targets.
According to Fischer, multiple assistant coaches around the NBA have declined to reciprocate the Blazers’ interest due to Dundon’s approach and rumors that the team is looking to pays its new coach well below the standard market rate.
Nets assistant Steve Hetzel and Nuggets assistant Jared Dudley are among the candidates to watch, per Fischer, though he notes that Hetzel is also in the running for the Pelicans’ vacancy. Hetzel previously worked in Portland and overlapped with Damian Lillard during the point guard’s previous stint with the team, and Lillard has suggested some potential candidates to management during the coaching search, Fischer says.
Sean Highkin of the Rose Garden Report (Twitter link) also identifies Lakers assistant Greg St. Jean as one possible candidate getting a look from the Blazers.
Here are a few more coaching rumors and notes from around the NBA:
- Both Hetzel and Bucks assistant Darvin Ham have made “strong impressions” on Pelicans team officials during New Orleans’ coaching search, Fischer reports. However, he says there’s a growing sense that Spurs associate head coach Sean Sweeney, who is also believed to be drawing interest from the Bulls and Magic, won’t be attainable for the Pelicans. It’s also unclear, Fischer says, whether anything will come of New Orleans’ reported interest in Jamahl Mosley, since it’s possible he won’t want to jump right into a new head coaching job after being fired by Orlando.
- Although Tom Thibodeau would be open to reuniting with the Bulls, the rebuilding club may not be a match for the veteran head coach, who is more likely to seek out a win-now situation, Fischer writes. Based on Fischer’s conversations with sources, the Magic job is the one viewed as most appealing to that type of candidate.
- Conner Varney, who had been working as a coaching associate under Quin Snyder in Atlanta, is leaving the Hawks to take a job with the Butler Bulldogs, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). Varney will reunite with Ronald Nored, a former Hawks assistant who was hired as Butler’s head coach in March.