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This one move turns the Pelicans’ defence from liability to league nightmare
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- This one move turns the Pelicans’ defence from liability to league nightmare
Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images
The New Orleans Pelicans didn’t need the flashiest name on the coaching market. They needed someone who has already shown he can take a messy roster and give it shape.
That’s the clearest way to read the decision after New Orleans hired Jamahl Mosley on May 18, ending James Borrego’s interim stint and bringing in a coach whose best work in Orlando was defined by building habits, structure and defensive credibility.
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On paper, Jamahl Mosley’s 189-221 record over five seasons with the Magic might look pretty ordinary if you don’t dig deeper.
But when you look closer, there are things that should interest New Orleans. Orlando made the playoffs in each of Mosley’s final three years, though they were knocked out in the first round each time.
Photo by Derick E. Hingle/Getty Images
Orlando’s record doesn’t tell the full story about Mosley
The way things ended in Orlando wasn’t great, especially after they lost a 3-1 lead to Detroit. But what came before still matters.
Mosley took over a team that was still being rebuilt and gave them some real shape. The Magic ranked third in defensive rating in 2023-24 and second in 2024-25 before slipping to 13th during his final year.
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That defensive structure is exactly what the Pelicans need after spending so much of last season without anything consistent to rely on night-to-night.
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