The New Orleans Pelicans have found their next head coach, hiring Jamahl Mosley to lead the franchise on a five-year contract after his successful run with the Orlando Magic.
NBA insider Shams Charania reported the news Monday, writing: “BREAKING: The New Orleans Pelicans are hiring Jamahl Mosley as the franchise’s new head coach on a five-year contract, sources tell ESPN.”
Mosley arrives in New Orleans after spending five seasons with Orlando, where he helped guide the Magic from a rebuilding team into a consistent playoff contender in the Eastern Conference.
Charania added: “Mosley accepts the Pelicans job after five seasons in Orlando where he guided the Magic to three consecutive playoff berths.”
The coaching move comes after a difficult 2025-26 season for New Orleans. The Pelicans finished 26-56 and missed the postseason despite having a roster built around Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, Dejounte Murray and Herb Jones.
Murphy led the team in scoring at 21.5 points per game while Williamson averaged 21.0 points on 60.0% shooting across 62 appearances. New Orleans still struggled defensively and ended the year near the bottom of the Western Conference standings.
That defensive identity is one reason the organization targeted Mosley quickly after his departure from Orlando.
According to Charania, “The Pelicans believe the franchise is at a point similar to Mosley’s leadership and development plan when he took over the rebuilding Magic in 2021 after a 21-win season.”
The report also detailed how aggressively New Orleans pursued the veteran coach once he became available.
“Sources said top Pelicans officials maintained consistent communication with Mosley since he was dismissed by the Magic on May 4 and the sides formally met in person last week at the NBA draft combine in Chicago,” Charania wrote.
Mosley built his reputation in Orlando around player development and defensive structure. Under his leadership, the Magic became one of the NBA’s top defensive teams over the last two seasons.
Charania noted: “In Orlando, Mosley built teams anchored by strong defenses, with the Magic ranked No. 3 overall in 2023-24 and No. 2 overall in 2024-25.”
That approach could fit a Pelicans roster that already features several strong perimeter defenders. Jones remains one of the league’s top wing defenders, while Murray and Alvarado bring pressure at the point of attack.
The larger question will center on health and offensive consistency. Williamson played 62 games this season, one of the better availability marks of his career, but New Orleans still lacked continuity throughout the year.
Mosley now takes over a roster with proven scoring talent, young rotation pieces and front-office pressure to return to playoff contention quickly in a loaded Western Conference.
