The New Orleans Pelicans are beginning a new era with former Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley named as the new head coach.
Mosley just brought the Magic to another playoff trip before he was fired after a first-round exit, and now he has work to do in New Orleans.
One order of business is regarding superstar big man Zion Williamson. And, while Williamson’s name has surfaced time and time again in trade rumors, all signs point to New Orleans sticking with the former No. 1 pick a bit longer.
“We haven’t changed our opinions on Zion. I’d love to see Jamahl coach Zion. I’d love to see him get Zion to defend and do all the things he said. “Let’s see what we have here,” Pelicans executive Joe Dumars said on Tuesday.
"We haven't changed our opinions on Zion. I'd love to see Jamahl coach Zion. I'd love to see him get Zion to defend and do all the things he said. Lets see what we have here"
— Pelicans Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) May 26, 2026
— Joe Dumars on Zion Williamson pic.twitter.com/1hFetgA6ws
Williamson said in April that New Orleans is “home” and the place he wants to be, despite his name being involved in trade rumblings.
Another report suggested that the Pelicans were even thinking of a contract extension for Williamson, who is just 25 years old and was the top pick in the 2019 NBA Draft after a stellar run at Duke.
Williamson played 62 games this season, the second-most of his NBA career and just the third time he has played more than 30 games in a season.
So, if Mosley can unlock Williamson’s full potential, the Pelicans could be a fun team to watch going forward.
