Between Nov. 5, 2023, and March 20, 2024, the New Orleans Pelicans could credibly be called sleeper contenders. That stretch, which began with C.J. McCollum returning from an injury, saw the Pelicans go 38-24. They had the NBA's third-best net rating in that window, trailing only the 2024 champion Celtics and 2025 champion Thunder . It was the one truly healthy window the New Orleans Pelicans have had since the Anthony Davis era and Willie Green was a meaningful part of it.

We all know what happened next. Brandon Ingram got hurt in March. Zion Williamson got hurt in April. Everything went to hell from there. Now the Pelicans are 2-10, dead last in the Western Conference without their first-round pick this season, and Green paid the price for it. He was just fired .

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