Rajon Rondo emerges as coaching candidate

Rajon Rondo is not just flirting with coaching anymore — he’s in an actual NBA hiring process. The New Orleans Pelicans have interviewed him for their head-coaching opening, which turns a lot of old “future coach” talk into something concrete. That matters because head-coach interviews are not nostalgia tours. They happen when a team thinks a candidate might really be able to run the room. (hoopsrumors.com) ### Why is Rondo suddenly in this conversation? Because the Pelicans have a real vacancy, and Rondo’s name surfaced as part of their early interview group. Reports over the last few days say New Orleans has already spoken with him while casting a fairly wide net that also includes more traditional assistant-coach(hoopsrumors.com)gence on him for one of the league’s 30 top jobs. (hoopsrumors.com) ### Why do teams take Rondo seriously? Rondo has had the “coach on the floor” label for most of his career, but that cliché only matters if he actually wants the work. Turns out he does. Recent reporting says he has been talking openly about coaching as a genuine next chapter, and that the interest goes back year(hoopsrumors.com)s the kind of detail teams care about, because it suggests this isn’t a random post-retirement pivot. (sports.yahoo.com) ### What has he done since retiring? He retired in 2024, then landed with Doc Rivers in Milwaukee as a special assistant. That role matters more than the title might suggest. It gave Rondo exposure to the daily coaching grind — film work, scouting, staff collaboration, and the less glamorous parts of preparing an NBA team. For a former(sports.yahoo.com)ween “high-IQ veteran” and “credible candidate.” (hoopsrumors.com) ### Why the Pelicans specifically? New Orleans is in a messy reset. The team fired Willie Green on November 15, 2025 after a 2-10 start, and James Borrego has been the interim coach since then. Joe Dumars has said Borrego will be considered for the permanent job, but the organization is clearly looking beyond the(hoopsrumors.com)if the front office wants a new voice and a sharper tactical identity. (nba.com) ### Is this normal for a first-time coach? Not really — at least not this fast. Most former players who become head coaches spend years as assistants first. The catch is that point guards with Rondo’s reputation sometimes get treated differently. Teams can talk themselves into the idea that elite game ma(nba.com) Orleans thinks the upside is worth exploring. (sports.yahoo.com) ### What would make Rondo a risky hire? Everything that makes him interesting also makes him risky. He has no head-coaching track record, no long bench résumé, and no proof yet that reading the game as a player translates to building a staff, managing personalities, and surviving an 82-game season from the sideline. Hiring him would be(sports.yahoo.com) it’s still a bet. (bleacherreport.com) ### So where does this stand now? Right now, the cleanest read is simple: Rondo has crossed from theory into legitimacy. He is not the Pelicans coach, and he may not end up the finalist. But an interview for this job means NBA teams are treating him as a real coaching prospect, not just a famous ex-player with good stories. If he doesn’t get New Orleans, this probably won’t be the last time his name comes up. (hoopsrumors.com) ### Bottom line? The news is not that Rajon Rondo might coach someday. The news is that someday has basically started. New Orleans has already opened the door. (hoopsrumors.com)