One of the most difficult aspects of being an NBA coach is that they have frighteningly very little job security. The pay is certainly good, but in a player-driven league, the first person to shoulder the blame when things head south for a team is its coach. In fact, there have been 11 franchises that have made a change since we last ranked NBA head coaches by the length of their respective tenures this past August. On Monday, Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors ran down the list of the longest-tenured coaches in the league, which for convenience, I’ve posted below:
- Gregg Popovich, Spurs: December 1996
- Erik Spoelstra, Heat: April 2008
- Rick Carlisle, Mavericks: May 2008
- Dwane Casey, Raptors: June 2011
- Terry Stotts, Trail Blazers: August 2012
- Mike Budenholzer, Hawks: May 2013
- Steve Clifford, Hornets: May 2013
- Doc Rivers, Clippers: June 2013
- Brad Stevens, Celtics: July 2013
- Brett Brown, Sixers: August 2013
- Stan Van Gundy, Pistons: May 2014
- Steve Kerr, Warriors: May 2014
- Quin Snyder, Jazz: June 2014
- Jason Kidd, Bucks: July 2014
- Billy Donovan, Thunder: April 30th, 2015
- Scott Skiles, Magic: May 29th, 2015
- Alvin Gentry, Pelicans: May 31st, 2015 (remained Warriors assistant through playoffs)
- Fred Hoiberg, Bulls: June 2nd, 2015
- Michael Malone, Nuggets: June 15th, 2015
- Tyronn Lue, Cavaliers: January 22nd, 2016
- Earl Watson, Suns: February 1st, 2016
- Kurt Rambis, Knicks: February 8th, 2016 (interim coach)
- Kenny Atkinson, Nets: April 17th, 2016 (Hawks assistant through Atlanta’s playoff run)
- Tom Thibodeau, Timberwolves: April 20th, 2016
- Scott Brooks, Wizards: April 26th, 2016
- Luke Walton, Lakers: April 29th, 2016 (Warriors assistant until end of Golden State’s season)
- Dave Joerger, Kings: May 9th, 2016
Note: The Grizzlies, Pacers and Rockets head coaching posts have yet to be filled.
For today’s topic: Which current NBA coach do you believe is likeliest to be fired next?
Take to the comments section to share with us and your fellow readers which NBA coach you believe will be the next to be issued his walking papers, justified or not. We look forward to what you have to say.
I believe if the Clippers don’t win it all in the next two seasons Rivers will either be let go or will leave on his own. I stingily believe this. I also feel like the Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg has two years to make significant strides towards a Championship or he will be gone but not as strongly as Rivers with the Clippers.
Hoiberg and Rambis are easily on the hot seats going into next year (assuming they are still coaches by the beginning of next year)
One can only hope re Hoiberg, but Reinsdorf is cheap and doesn’t like paying guys who aren’t working. HoiBoy has 4 more years on his contract.
To be completely honest, every coach has had rumors of getting let go the past year besides Popovich and Kerr. The job security for coach is so thin that it wouldn’t surprise me if any of the coaches out of those 2 to be let go.
Knowing the Kings probably Joerger
“Favors boogie over every head coach”
Jason Kidd and Kurt Rambis. Kidd causes too much drama, and Rambis just shouldn’t be allowed to coach Porzingis.
what drama has Kidd caused in MKE?
Ask your mom.
Dwane Casey. He was never Masai Ujiri’s guy, and I think there’s a solid chance he’s fired if they lose to the Heat this round. This is the best team the Raptors have had in a long, long time, and if they can’t get to the ECF, Ujiri will shake things up.
I’ll say Dwayne Casey.
If the Raps can’t beat a thinned-out, undermanned Heat team then Casey’s gotta be on the hot seat. They’re playing ugly, ugly ball in the playoffs.
I agree
Yes unfortunately as he is a good coach
Kidd or Brown. I think one or even both of these guys will lose their jobs. Brown out of the two should be the one to keep his job, since he’s a good coach they just have nothing to work with in Philly, Kidd on the other hand is, in my opinion, another good coach, but maybe just not for that team. The Bucks have a great team, stacked with young controllable talent. However, they did absolutely nothing this year, I think the smartest coaching decision was to move Giannis to the point, but other then that, not much happened. They should’ve fired him when they still had the chance to make a run at Thib, Brooks or Joeger. Maybe they can bring in Vogel?
Doc Rivers