It’s that time of the year for NBA fans. Over a month in and waiting for initial performances to settle, teams have begun taking action after a disappointing start to the season. The New Orleans Pelicans’ head coach, Willie Green, after an abysmal 2-10 start, is the latest collateral damage.
While the Pelicans look to move on after firing Green, not all fans seem to agree with their decision.
NBA Fans Choose to Defend Willie Green After Pelicans Fire HC Over 2-10 Start
On Saturday, Nov. 15, the Pelicans announced that they’ll be parting ways with Green as their head coach. The Pelicans’ Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars shared a statement regarding the same, appointing James Borrego as the interim head coach.
“After careful evaluation, we have made the difficult decision to make a change at head coach,” Dumars explained. “I have the utmost respect for Willie Green, and I’m sincerely appreciative of his contributions to the Pelicans organization and the New Orleans community. We wish him and his family all the best in the future.”
Though the team hopes to turn things around, fans believe Green and his coaching style weren’t the actual issue. One fan, referring to Green as the scapegoat, said: “Lmao basketball in the city of NO is just cursed💀💀 they gotta move to a different city frfr.”
He’s not the issue. Pelicans just a$$
— Book’em (@dbookownsyou) November 15, 2025
Other fans echoed similar sentiments, believing the Pelicans are the problem. “He’s not the issue. Pelicans just a$$,” another user explained.
A few responses were catered towards Zion Williamson, shifting the blame to his persistent injuries. One fan wrote: “Not his fault his best player can’t stay healthy.”
Not his fault his best player can’t stay healthy.
— TTSD (@TomTheSpursDude) November 15, 2025
While this year was considered a big return for the former No. 1 pick, Williamson’s luck continued to work against him. The 25-year-old has missed six consecutive games due to a hamstring strain, further derailing the Pelicans’ 2025-27 campaign.
Others continued to point fingers at the team, believing that they fired the HC because of their talentless roster.
One fan, explaining their recent trade moves, added: “They fired the coach because the team doesn’t have any talent. Every asset from the Davis trade is gone. They owe the Hawks an unprotected pick. Dion misses more games than he plays. Tanking won’t help. They are going to be bad for a while.”
“Green is a good coach. Idk how they expected much else with the injuries and that roster construction,” a user questioned on Twitter.
Not his fault his best player can’t stay healthy.
— TTSD (@TomTheSpursDude) November 15, 2025
“Yall should be more worried about trading Zion Williamson,” one fan suggested.
That being said, not all responses were in support of Green. Some believe he should have been fired after last year, as the team chose to shift its focus to what actually matters, including acquiring better wing players and addressing Williamson’s recurring injury issues.
Some believed that while not everything was Green’s fault, he wasn’t the best coach and didn’t focus on developing their young players.
Green Opened Up About Being Frustrated After Pelicans’ Disastrous 0-6 Start
While the success of the Pelicans’ decision is up for debate, the immense pressure building around Green and the team was no secret. In an earlier interaction, Green shared his candid take on their initial 0-6 start, obviously frustrated.
“Joe and I, we talk pretty much every day. We all echo the same sentiment,” Green said. “We’ll continue to work at it. We’re all frustrated, want to be better. We’re all a part of making sure that we do what we can to be better.”
Having said that, fans will have to wait and see how the Pelicans’ year unfolds. One might argue that they need more than just an HC firing, opting to rebuild while completely re-evaluating their position with Williamson.
Ranking 15th in the Western Conference, the Pelicans are scheduled to play the Golden State Warriors next on Sunday, Nov. 16.
