The New Orleans Pelicans are hiring Jamahl Mosley as their new head coach on a five-year contract, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Monday morning.
Mosley, 47, spent the past five seasons as the head coach of the Orlando Magic, amassing a 189-221 record and leading the franchise to three consecutive playoff berths. Orlando fired Mosley on May 4 after the team was ousted from the first round of the playoffs by the Detroit Pistons in Game 7. The No. 8-seeded Magic coughed up a 3-1 series lead before the knockout
blow.
Mosley rose above other candidates in New Orleans’ coaching search because of his experience leading a franchise through a rebuild, Charania reported.
Pelicans executive vice president Joe Dumars underwent a thorough search, including conversations with Milwaukee Bucks assistants Darvin Ham and Rajon Rondo, Brooklyn Nets assistant Steve Hetzel and interim New Orleans coach James Borrego.
The Pelicans believe the franchise is at a point similar to when Mosley took over the rebuilding Magic in 2021 after a 21-win season. His leadership and development plan led to season-by-season improvement, then playoff appearances.
The Pelicans finished this past season with a 26-56 record and missed the playoffs for the second straight year. They don’t own their first-round pick in this summer’s NBA Draft after trading it away in a draft-day deal last year, which helped them move up to select forward Derik Queen.
