Pelicans Relationship With Willie Green is Definition of Insanity

What’s Next

The Pelicans are entering a five-game home stretch, with opponents including the Blazers, Lakers, Warriors, Thunder, and Nuggets, who collectively have a 36-16 record.

That means the Smoothie King Center and its fans will be sharing their frustration with the head coach over this stretch. Given the Pelicans’ current form, this could be a five-game home losing streak. So the question is, how much longer will executives remain patient?

What these types of losses and the energy surrounding the locker room convey is an organization that is entirely dysfunctional.

That doesn’t come as a shock to anybody.

It’s essential to note, however, because it teaches rookies that standards are low and losing horrifically is acceptable. It reveals that the “accountability” Joe Dumars preached on media day is a facade and a front to make it appear that this organization is run like any professional sports team should be.

Rookies Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears have been a bright spot amidst such a putrid start, still displaying gumption and fire.

It’s encouraging to witness as a fan, but this attitude can only last for so long in this environment. Queen and Fears’ energy will wither away if Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver allow Willie Green to go on — an awful reality to come to grips with as a 19- or 20-year-old rookie.

Finding a Starting Point

Not all the blame should fall on Willie Green. His star player, Zion Williamson, has been sidelined by another hamstring injury. Additionally, this roster operates on two separate timelines, a focus on winning now while also building a young core. Not to mention the teams that have apparent weaknesses such as shooting, rebounding, and defense.

These are components out of Green’s control.

Nevertheless, Green continues to position this team in a poor manner.

Kevon Looney continues to start over Derik Queen. Looney is a solid rotation big but coaches shouldn’t be handing Looney the game’s most essential minutes. Derik Queen boasts a +15.3 on/off rating this season. Yet he doesn’t start, and most of his minutes come with the second unit or during garbage time when the game is already lost.

Queen only logged nine minutes in the first half of Monday Night’s game. Keep in mind, this is without Zion in the lineup or having to compete for minutes with starter Yves Missi, who finished with a DNP in Phoenix.

Wherever New Orleans is headed, nothing can improve until they take the first step. The Dallas Mavericks made their step today, firing GM Nico Harrison.

The moment Pelicans’ executives become less accountable to their decisions than the organization that traded Luka Doncic for pennies on the dollar, is the moment they’ve hit a new rock-bottom for an organization and city that’s already below sea-level.