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This was always the plan--mostly

Posted on 11/15/25 at 4:36 pm
Posted by The_Duke
Member since Nov 2016
4160 posts
Posted on 11/15/25 at 4:36 pm
Willie Green entered this season with just one year remaining on his contract, effectively making him a lame duck coach.

If you fire him during the offseason, you’re committing to pay him for a year without coaching, while also hiring a new head coach and an entirely new staff. That means paying two coaching staffs in a season where you already know you’re not competing—an inefficient use of resources.

Instead, you let the season play out.

The best-case scenario is firing Willie midseason, when there’s no expectation to immediately hire a permanent replacement and staff. At that point, all existing contracts expire at the end of the season, giving you a clean slate heading into the next offseason.

From a business perspective, this approach makes sense financially. However, from a fan perspective, it’s concerning because it reinforces the narrative that the franchise is unwilling to spend to win, and that it's, in fact, a “poverty franchise”.
This post was edited on 11/15/25 at 4:37 pm
Posted by cgrand
HAMMOND
Member since Oct 2009
46224 posts
Posted on 11/15/25 at 4:42 pm to
I have nothing against Willie personally and do not care in the slightest about financial concerns outside of the cap. But keeping him this long has been catastrophic…two minutes after they traded next years pick he should have been out the door. Now they can’t tank the rest of the season and are in a terrible situation of their own making.

typical pelicans bullshite
Posted by BowDownToLSU
Livingston louisiana
Member since Feb 2010
21061 posts
Posted on 11/15/25 at 4:51 pm to
quote:

two minutes after they traded next years pick he should have been out the door. Now they can’t tank the rest of the season and are in a terrible situation of their own making.
that’s on Dumars
Posted by Chad504boy
4 posts
Member since Feb 2005
175312 posts
Posted on 11/15/25 at 5:20 pm to
OR we have a new GM’s eyes that gave Willie a brief fair look. Fans are fricking stupid
This post was edited on 11/15/25 at 5:25 pm
Posted by gotiger
Delray Beach, FL
Member since Feb 2009
2946 posts
Posted on 11/15/25 at 6:18 pm to
quote:

OR we have a new GM’s eyes that gave Willie a brief fair look. Fans are fricking stupid


A decent GM reviews the last 3 years and realizes he’s banking on a failed coach to make his draft day trade look like anything but a terrible deal
Posted by ned nederlander
Member since Dec 2012
5453 posts
Posted on 11/15/25 at 6:43 pm to
Trading an unprotected first round pick and then firing your coach 12 games into the season is never the plan.

It’s a disaster.
Posted by Tank77
Member since Mar 2019
607 posts
Posted on 11/15/25 at 6:46 pm to
What if the pick that is going to the Hawks pick #10?
Posted by Soggymoss
Member since Aug 2018
17181 posts
Posted on 11/15/25 at 7:10 pm to
quote:

What if the pick that is going to the Hawks pick #10?


Them cool it would have fell out of protection range.

What if the pick going to them is #1?
Posted by elveaux
Member since Jul 2007
175 posts
Posted on 11/16/25 at 7:36 am to
The story that makes the most sense is probably true. We have never paid the luxury tax, even in seasons where we were at 50 wins. Maybe going “all in” then could have gotten us a first round series win, or even a conference finals. Given that background, saving the $$$ by letting this season run out makes the most sense. It’s stupid and shows a complete lack of commitment…. but it fits the pattern. May this team be sold to someone that is committed to winning and wants to keep it in NOLA.
Posted by Soggymoss
Member since Aug 2018
17181 posts
Posted on 11/16/25 at 8:01 am to
Paying luxury tax doesn’t automatically make you a winner.

Pelicans are consistently top 15 most years in team salary despite being at the very bottom of the league in revenue.

Milwaukee just recently started paying the LT.

OKC just won the championship last season and didn’t pay a dime in LT, hell in the last 10 years 4 of the champions didn’t pay LT. Y’all need to get off this “we don’t pay the tax so we will never win” narrative. Does it help? Sometimes if you’re in a large market and can attract free agents.

The real secret to winning for us is using the OKC formula, stock up on picks and try to hit as much as possible.
This post was edited on 11/16/25 at 8:16 am
Posted by Socrates Johnson
Madisonville
Member since Apr 2012
2359 posts
Posted on 11/16/25 at 8:36 am to
I agree with what you said, but I'd further open the window to say that this situation only played out because you extended his contract when you shouldn't have.
Posted by FMtTXtiger
Member since Oct 2018
4927 posts
Posted on 11/16/25 at 9:01 am to
you have to draft great to compete in a small market. Queen and Fears needs to workout.

We need Zion to get healthy, be happy for about 20+ games.
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