New Orleans Pelicans Coach Willie Green claims to play defensive basketball, but continues to build an offense-oriented team, leaving the Pelicans compromised.
Last season’s defensive performance and the franchise’s offseason trade with the Washington Wizards are prime examples.
Green’s late-game rotation decisions are a detriment to the success of the team. He has a habit of pulling out guarding players in the final quarter, oftentimes making the New Orleans defense crumble.
In the 2024-25 season, the team won 21 of their 61 games (25.6%) in which they trailed by even a slight deficit going into the fourth quarter, a much lower record than even average teams and one of the worst in the league, which indicates the inability to close.
Compare that to the best closers in the league last season, the Golden State Warriors with a 64.8% win rate and the Boston Celtics at 63.7%, per StatMuse. The Pelicans leave plenty to desire there.
Now, New Orleans acquired two offense-first players: small forward Shaddiq Bey and shooting guard Jordan Poole from Washington. Both additions have well-below-average defensive capabilities, i.e., high Defensive Ratings (DRtg), making them likely liabilities as guards.
The hope is that starting forward and 2024 All-Defensive First Team selection Herbert Jones will be enough to carry the team’s defensive strategy with the help of rotation point guard Jose Alvarado and Golden State veteran, 3-time championship-winning center Kevon Looney. It will be Looney’s first year in New Orleans.
Though Looney had a more impressive DRtg in the 2024-25 season than any of the team’s starters, coming in at 111.8, the amount of starting minutes Green awards him is still uncertain.
Starting guard Dejounte Murray is one of the Pelicans’ most valuable defensive/two-way assets, but his Achilles tear from January still has him out indefinitely. Murray’s ongoing recovery leaves New Orleans to rely more heavily on Alvarado, Jones, and the bench to start the season.
More defensive responsibility will also fall on power forward Zion Williamson under the goal, who is capable but inconsistent in effort.
Another concern shared widely by fans and the franchise is that Williamson has historically shown unreliable availability due to significant and frequent career injuries.
Over the offseason, New Orleans made a move to fire President of Basketball Operations and acting general manager, David Griffin. When a franchise decides to replace the front office but keep the coach, it means ownership has confidence in the coach's vision and ability to drive success in developing chemistry and strategy with a changing roster.
The question remains whether or not Green can shake up his rotation strategy in a way that aligns with his defense-first vision with a fresh starting roster. If the Pelicans' defensive performance does not significantly improve this season, the blame will rightfully shift to him, rather than the players or the ownership, which will likely lead to the end of his Pelicans career.