Jamahl Mosley deserved better from the Orlando Magic. That doesn’t necessarily mean the Magic were wrong to move on from him. Sometimes in sports — just like in life — two things can be true at the same time.

The New Orleans Pelicans hired Jamahl Mosley as the team's next head coach on Monday. Mosley previously served as head coach of the Orlando Magic from 2021-25. He was fired by the Magic after they finished the 2025-26 season with a 45-37 record and fell to the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the playoffs.

Close friends off the court, Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff and Magic coach Jamahl Mosley mutually agreed on no contact between them during their first-round series. Fernando Medina / It all began at Grg’s in the early 2000s.

The New Orleans Pelicans have hired head coach Jamahl Mosley to a five-year contract after he was recently fired by the Orlando Magic.

Joe Dumars' statement on the Jamahl Mosley hire: “Jamahl has earned tremendous respect across the NBA for his leadership, professionalism, and the strong relationships he develops with players and staff.

Beyond hiring a new head coach, there are major questions facing the Magic that need answers this NBA offseason.