RED FLAG: Pelicans’ Turmoil After Willie Green Firing—Is Joe Dumars’s Approach the REAL PROBLEM?
New Orleans Pelicans shake up their future by firing head coach Willie Green, but is the real problem higher up in the front office? Joe Dumars’s press conference ignites controversy with concerning remarks about decision-making, team identity, and lack of communication with players. Will this fractured process hold the Pelicans back from reaching their full potential this season?
Jake Madison breaks down the impact of James Borrego stepping in as interim head coach, examining key changes in team culture, potential rotation shifts (including the outlook for Kevon Looney, Derik Queen, and Zion Williamson), and a renewed emphasis on speed and violence on the court. The episode spotlights the latest coaching candidates—Michael Malone, Taylor Jenkins, Sam Cassell, and more—and raises critical questions about whether the Pelicans’ ownership and front office can finally build an identity fans can rally behind.
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32 Comments
Congratulations on the wedding!! We will miss you
Yeah your nick picking give Joe a chance he knows his stuff
Fire Joe. JOE MIUST GO
You have turned your attention to attacking Joe Dumars now and now you want to get rid of Joe Dumars you are wrong to attack Dumars and we are going to support him and give him the chance to change the situation at the pelicans. I hope he goes out and hires a proven coach for the pelicans Berrogo is not the best candidate available there are many other coaches available
You have been calling for James Berrogo to replace Willie Green all the time but I wonder what was Berrogo doing while the team was falling apart was he the catalyst for the demise of Willie Green was he stabbing Green in the back the whole time he was the associate head coach
Listen. I was ready for Willie to go awhile ago. But you emphasizing Joe Dumar's explanation for giving Willie a chance is not clear to me. It was fine to take that approach when you change leadership from the top. But he only gave him 12 games. Not 43. He saw the same issues with Willie under his regime as well. I think he also saw the body language of players, frustration of fans and made a change. There are 70 more. You very well could end up being100% correct in your assertion or evaluation of Joe and how he handled the firing of Willie, but as of now, i think you're a bit premature in assessment. It's been some aggravating frustrating basketball in general for awhile but please, let's just wait and see. I almost hate listening to the podcasts about anything Louisiana as far as sports are concerned lately. So negative.
You can’t lose with Malone although he is going to be expensive but he will be worth the price if they hire Malone Nola can west assured that the pelicans will be a playoff contender every year ❤
I don't know if the wedding is messing up your mind, but your takes on Joe Dumars are becoming ridiculous. You have never attacked David Griffin so harshly, and you were defending Willie for far too long (even last season after initial takes, he should be fired you took a step back afterward).
And now you are ALL IN against Joe, even though it's obvious he needed the green light from Gayle. What do you expect him to answer, really?
Have you ever worked in a corporate structure? If your boss tells you something, you have two options, our way or the highway. Of course, he had to wait for Willie to fail and for Gayle's approval.
They had a conversation at the halftime vs. Portland, she had an interview the next day and the day after Willie was gone.
Celebrate it and give Joe some time. At least till he hires his own coach.
What about Frank Vogel?
I don't think Joe meant he hadn't watched all of the games, but instead that some of the games he saw showed that the Pels looked good under Willie's leadership.
It's good the rookies look good. Those are building blocks. But you not gonna win in the NBA with 75 million on the beach. And if it's your vision and team, than why are you still using the last guys infrastructure? It's been a very unclear rebuild that was positioned as a win now move, so already it's like you marketed an opera as a heavy metal show. Opera is ok. Metal is ok. Just be real about it so fans can calibrate expectations. And this city and ownership and team could do a way better job of building basketball community and basketball culture in New Orleans. We have virtually no public basketball courts. I never once seen Zion doing any kind of community service or playing basketball with kids or these players teaching kids how to shoot. You want to build a team? It actually should start there.
Come on Jake EVERY fan KNOWS the REAL reason Willie,Mickey,& the state of both of these franchises r the way they r is bc of GB simple & plain !!
Every dayer comment
Jake stop the bullshit u attacking Joe Dumars. You know it was gale benson didn't want to fire Willie you just didn't like that Joe Dumars hire anyway so you have a personal vendetta anyway towards Joe. Let the man do his job before you point fingers Jake ….with your bullshit ass.
I have to pile on. Jake this is the exact reason people should call out media personalities/outlets. For you to create a spin when the evidence is clear in reporting is shameful. At least I know now where you sit within the organization.
Dumars worked in the NBA office before taking this job — so why would he single out just the Pelicans game? I gave that podcast a shot, but it’s a mess. The host throws out talking points that make no sense, like someone who’s never touched a ball in his life. We’ve never had a championship team, so what makes him the authority? It’s all clickbait. And that video of him fawning over players at media day? Please. Good luck with your podcast.
I don’t understand the comment about you don’t like the process of the trade with DQ!! If you believe in a player and think he is worth the trade then you make it!! That’s the process! If they are right and DQ is an all star, then it was a good trade. If DQ is not good then the trade was bad. I think DQ will be a very good player. So we shall see
You're so negative, you need to go be the GM. since you can do a great job
And so it begins…..with the “Joe Dumars needs to be fired “🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️
Wait Jake…. What about you honeymoon!?😶
what you have seen from green over the years is injuries, Zion had the Pels on hold from the beginning with these injuries. cant even understand how this guy is on the sidelines, injured again. you can blame Willie and Griff for that matter but this was all Zion and the Pels honestly could not pull the trigger on a trade. I even wanted to wait year after year on Zion
You are overreacting, Joe been on the job 12 games 4 months-6. It sound like you don't care for Joe D. They should fire Joe D. And make you the GM.
You aint never satisfied bro!
Give joe a chance.
Im calling for your Job!.
Locked on Fire jake madison! He is always negative and he is not a pelicans fan, this is just his job!
JOE IS A CHAMP!! HE KNOWS WHAT IT TAKES..LOOK AROUND THIS LEAGUE PLAYERS ARE WAY BETTER THAN THE PELICAN PLAYERS. ITS NOT JOE FAULT . HE INHERITED A BAD TEAM. GIVE HIM TIME TO GET PLAYERS THAN CAN SHOOT. PELS ARE HORRIBLE AT SHOOTING. YOU NEED SHOOTERS IN THIS LEAGUE IF YOUR NOT GONNA PLAY DEFENSE. PERIOD. PELS DONT HAVE GOOD SHOOTERS THATS WHY THERE ALWAYS BEHIND BY 10 TO 20 POINTS AT EACH QRT. CANT WIN SHIT LIKE THAT , I DONT CARE WHO IS THE COACH. WILLIE WASNT THE PROBLEM UNTIL WE SEE THAT HE WASNT. Now WILLIE IS SMILING BECAUSE N.O. FANS KNOW ITS NOT HIM.
Just reading some of the comments on here, and think there’s some overreacting to a lot of Jake’s takes on Joe Dumars. Should the guy be given a chance this season to see if his leadership can turn the organization around? Ok. BUT, given the guy’s prior track record managing the Pistons, the lack of a more thorough search by Gayle Benson to find a potentially better option than him to manage this team, and what MIGHT have been hesitancy on his part to make a change at HC…these bullet points should cause us to question if he is the right guy to help turn the organization around. Time will tell. We’ve been stuck in a rut for far too long now. That is clear. Something has to give. I think Jake is just voicing that sentiment…that every true blooded Pels fan is feeling after years of the same old same old with this team.
He traded the 2026 Pacers 1st, their own 1st, and last year's 1st for Derik Queen and Asa Newell….Could be the top 2 picks in the loaded 2026 draft. Actually incredible
Why take the job? What do these guys typically make? 5M? 10M? He had millions of reason to take the job.
Every dayer
Congratulations 🎉
Joe Dumbass really pulled a Mickey Loomis "look beyond the results" garbage. And this is who Gayle Benson wanted. There's a reason the Pelicans and the Saints are the worst teams in their respective leagues. Gayle Benson is the problem.
Hi Jake
Hawks are hoping they can't. My Lord that was a horrible trade. Doesn't matter what Queen becomes. The Pels traded away the number 1 pick to the Pacers. The Pacers are 1-11. Look like that's a lottery pick. They trader their number 1 to the Hawks. They are 2-10. Looks like that a lottery pick. The Pels could have had 2 lottery picks and Queen. Why? No one was taking Queen that high. The Pels had him anyway and didn't need the trade. This is how this team has been bad for years. Hasn't helped they probably still think they can build around Zion.