Jamahl Mosley has immediately landed himself another NBA head coaching opportunity, potentially passing up an opportunity with the Golden State Warriors in the process.
Mosley has signed a five-year contract with the New Orleans Pelicans as first reported by ESPN's Shams Charania on Monday, having also been a prominent candidate to become Steve Kerr's lead assistant at the Warriors.
Pelicans spoil Warriors plans with Jamahl Mosley hiring
Despite leading the Orlando Magic to three consecutive playoff appearances, Mosley was ousted as head coach immedietly after the franchise fell from a 3-1 series lead to lose in the first-round against the top-seed Detroit Pistons.
Mosley hasn't had to wait to find his next top job though, having been hired by a Pelicans franchise in desperate need of a rejuvenation after winning just 26 games and finishing 11th in the Western Conference this season, while winning only 21 games the year before.
New Orleans' decision to hire Mosley has put a potential dent in Golden State's plans, with ESPN's Anthony Slater also reporting on Monday that they'd been looking to hire the 47-year-old as part of a coaching restructure this offseason.
Jamahl Mosley was among those the Warriors were looking at for their vacant lead assistant job, but he lands another HC opportunity with the Pelicans https://t.co/nuWz4Ccuv2
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) May 18, 2026
The Warriors faced some coaching uncertainty themselves in the wake of last month's Play-In Tournament elimination, only for Kerr to return on a new two-year contract that extends his already 12-year stint at the franchise.
However, Golden State will still see some significant changes to their coaching staff anyway, having announced the departures of key assistants Terry Stotts and Jerry Stackhouse. Willie Green and Andre Igoudala have already been two names linked to potential assistant roles, and so too Mosley before his hiring at the Pelicans.
Mosley ironically now takes over from Green who was fired by the Pelicans just 12 games into this season, with former Charlotte Hornets head coach James Borrego having served as interim in the meantime.
Jahmahl Mosley could have become Warriors next head coach
Perhaps Mosley would have become a candidate to replace Kerr had the 60-year-old chose to depart the Warriors. While taking a five-year deal from the Pelicans was the obvious move, he could have alternatively sought a job with Golden State with the hope of becoming Kerr's successor in two years.
Given how close Kerr was to departing this time around, it seems unlikely he'd extend as head coach past 2028. Therefore any assistant on his coaching staff now could position themselves to take the lead role in two years should they impress.
In the end a guaranteed five-year contract now is better than a hypothetical role in the future, giving Mosley the type of security (at least financially) and responsibility that he wouldn't have got at the Warriors.
Add us as a preferred source on Google