Pelicans already have glaring question with new HC Jamahl Mosley

Mosley was fired by the Magic after they blew a 3-1 series advantage over the No. 1 seed Detroit Pistons in the first round of the 2026 Eastern Conference Playoffs, including squandering a 24-point Game 6 lead with a chance to close out the series by scoring an NBA-record low 19 second-half points.

In three playoff seasons as Magic coach, Mosley never guided his team past the first round. Orlando was held under 100 points in 11 of its 17 postseason games, the second-most in the league since 2024, only trailing the Cleveland Cavaliers (13), who have appeared in 39 playoff games during that span (h/t Stathead).

A lack of a strong offensive identity capped Orlando's potential under Mosley, and it could do the same in New Orleans. But for a franchise with little to celebrate in recent years, simply being a perennial playoff contender would represent a massive breakthrough.

That's a sobering reality check for the Pelicans, who have enough young veterans to be further along in the team-building stage but are consistently beginning at square one with their coaching staffs, including Stan Van Gundy and Willie Green, Mosley's two direct predecessors. The organization should be beyond establishing a culture, but that's where it is entering Mosley's first season.

As Mosley emphasized during his introductory news conference, "We're not skipping steps... because greatness is step by step."

His comments decrease the already-low expectations for the Pelicans, who finished the regular season 26-56 and will likely need time to master Mosley's philosophy. When New Orleans does, based on the end of his Magic tenure, it might take another coach to get it to the next stage.

For where the Pelicans are, establishing a defense-first identity over offense is a defensible decision. Teams don't win often without buy-in on that end of the court, and after allowing 120 points per game and ranking No. 25 in defensive rating this season, that's where New Orleans must improve the most.

Mosley's hiring represents another trip back to the starting line, with New Orleans aiming to build a sustainable culture where the last ones failed. Perhaps this one will stick. But even if it does, it might not be enough to get the Pelicans where they ultimately want to fly.