The New Orleans Pelicans have narrowed their head coaching search to four finalists, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic, with Rajon Rondo, Darvin Ham, Sean Sweeney, and Steve Hetzel all under consideration for the permanent role.
The move comes after a turbulent coaching timeline that began with Willie Green being dismissed on November 15, 2025, following a 2–10 start to the season. Assistant James Borrego was named interim head coach, but the franchise has since decided to pursue a full-time replacement.
Rondo stands out as a former player with deep postseason experience, including two NBA championships with the Boston Celtics in 2008 and the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020. His résumé also includes four All-Star selections and three league assists titles, and he recently participated in coaching environments through guest roles and training camp involvement.
Ham brings prior head coaching experience with the Lakers from 2022 to 2024, alongside multiple assistant coaching stops with the Lakers, Hawks, and Bucks.
Sean Sweeney has built his reputation through long-term assistant roles, most recently with the Dallas Mavericks and now the San Antonio Spurs as associate head coach.
Steve Hetzel has worked in player development and assistant coaching roles across the Pistons, Hornets, Magic, Trail Blazers, and Nets organizations.
New Orleans enters this decision period with a roster built around Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III, alongside key contributors such as Saddiq Bey, Derik Queen, and Jeremiah Fears. The team finished the 2025–26 regular season with 26 wins and 56 losses, missing the postseason in a competitive Western Conference field.
Zion Williamson averaged 21.0 points on 60 percent shooting in the regular season, while Murphy led the team with 21.5 points per game and nearly 38 percent from three-point range. Despite individual production, consistency issues contributed to the Pelicans remaining outside the playoff bracket.
