The 2025 season ended in familiar frustration for the New Orleans Pelicans — and possibly signaled the end of an era.
With Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum, Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III, and Yves Missi all watching in street clothes, the Pelicans dropped their seventh straight game in a 115-100 loss to Oklahoma City. Their final record of 21-61 marks the franchise’s worst campaign since 2005 and second-worst in history.
“We failed. I failed,” said head coach Willie Green, whose own future now hangs in the balance.
Green, who guided New Orleans to three straight play-in appearances before this season’s meltdown, admitted he hasn’t spoken to the front office about his job status.
“I have to take full ownership of where we are as a team,” he said. “But I didn’t give myself this job. I had to be chosen for this position — and I’m grateful.”
The man who gave him that chance, basketball operations chief David Griffin, was seated across the court but remained silent postgame. Griffin has yet to see the core roster he assembled fully healthy at the same time — a reality that has defined his Pelicans tenure since taking over in 2019.
That tenure began with promise after winning the draft lottery and selecting Zion Williamson, viewed as a generational prospect. But what looked like a turning point for the franchise has devolved into a cautionary tale.
Williamson missed 52 games this season with multiple injuries, bringing his career total to 258 games missed out of 472 possible regular-season contests. He has still never appeared in a playoff game.
Other key players weren’t spared either:
– Dejounte Murray missed 51 games (hand and Achilles).
– Herb Jones missed 62 (shoulder).
– Trey Murphy missed 29.
– Brandon Ingram, now with Toronto, played just 18 games before being traded.
Since Griffin’s arrival, New Orleans is 209-263 with zero playoff series wins, and the optimism that once surrounded the Zion era has given way to widespread doubt.
“We truly don’t know who’s going back,” said Murphy after the season finale. “Nobody is safe.”
With ownership silent and speculation swirling, the Pelicans face a critical offseason — one that could define the future of the franchise.
