Pelicans promoting Joe Barrer to coach of G League affiliate

August 20, 2025

Courtesy Birmingham Squadron

The New Orleans Pelicans are promoting Joe Barrer to head coach of their G League affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Barrer has spent nearly a decade working in the G League. He began as a video coordinator and assistant coach with the Iowa Wolves, then known as the Iowa Energy. From 2017 to 2021, he served as an assistant with Orlando’s G League affiliate before being elevated to head coach, a role he held for two seasons.

The New Orleans Pelicans will name Joe Barrer as Birmingham Squadron G League head coach, league sources told @hoopshype. Barrer was an assistant coach for Birmingham last season. Prior, he was head coach of the Orlando Magic’s G League affiliate, Lakeland Magic, for two seasons. pic.twitter.com/cSBx8UMgdh

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) August 20, 2025

He joined the Pelicans’ organization in 2022 as an assistant with Birmingham and spent the past two years on the Squadron staff. His promotion comes after T.J. Saint, who had coached the team for the last three seasons, departed this summer to join Mike Brown’s staff with the New York Knicks.

Barrer will now take over a Squadron program that has served as a key development hub for New Orleans in recent years.

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