The Cavaliers‘ firing of Tyronn Lue last month represented the first in-season coaching change of the 2018/19 NBA season, but odds are it won’t be the last. As I outlined last week, six of the last eight NBA seasons have featured multiple in-season coaching changes, with at least three head coaches being replaced during the season in all six of those years.
Those numbers don’t guarantee that two more head coaches will be dismissed during the 2018/19 season, but they suggest it would be a bit of a surprise if the NBA’s other 29 coaches make it through the year unscathed.
So which head coaches may be on the hottest seats this season? The underperforming clubs deserve the first look. That means Scott Brooks, whose Wizards are just 2-7, and Luke Walton, who has led LeBron James and the new-look Lakers to a 4-6 start.
Of course, multiple recent reports have suggested that Brooks still has the full support of the Wizards’ organization. And after word broke that Lakers president Magic Johnson “admonished” Walton following the Lakers’ slow start, Johnson gave his head coach a strong public vote of confidence.
If Brooks’ and Walton’s seats weren’t at least a little warm though, there’d be no need for those votes of confidence in the first place. The Rockets, for instance, are off to an underwhelming 3-5 start, but there has been no chatter about Mike D’Antoni‘s job security — presumably because the organization is confident that he’ll turn things around.
Expectations weren’t terribly high for the Bulls (2-8) entering the season, and injuries have decimated their lineup, but it’s possible we may soon begin hearing some speculation about Fred Hoiberg‘s future if the losses keep piling up.
A former Chicago coach, Tom Thibodeau, also appears to be on the hot seat in Minnesota, as Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic notes in his latest mailbag. But even with the Timberwolves off to 4-6 start and dealing with Jimmy Butler drama, the team has shown no inclination to make a change at this point.
What do you think? Which coaches around the NBA deserve to be under serious scrutiny? Which coach will be the next one ousted?
Jump into the comment section below to weigh in!
Jimmy Butler is a tuchus
Thibs if they mishandle this Butler thing anymore. Hoiberg should be, but won’t be.
Walton’s seat is only hot because the media has to talk about it constantly.
Fire Thibs!!!
Magic should be on the hot seat, not Walton. LeBron’s influence is toxic on teammates and coaches. Everyone is accountable to him, and he is accountable to no one.
Yeah, send the bad man back to Cleveland.
Doc Rivers and Rick Carlisle. How long do they get to live off their rings? Hell Lue won 3 years ago and already canned as both them coaches especially Carlisle has missed the playoffs while Doc has choked and made poor personnel moves up until West’s arrival.
What do you think? Which coaches around the NBA deserve to be under serious scrutiny? Which coach will be the next one ousted?
If it is Brown flush it down!
However, Brett Brown will never be fired.
The whole Sixer Organization is Inept, starting with the owner down to the Janitor who turns off the lights at night
Thibs has to go. His philosophy creates a team that is at best a first round exit and at worst sub-500.
There were 2 questions: who deserves firing and who will be next. Thibs deserves it. He refuses to fit his system to his players and tries to change his players to fit his system. That doesn’t work with Wiggins and KAT. So much talent…so much dysfunction. Who will be next? Luke. Fakers are awful on defense. Tragic johnson told Luke: we have no offense system. Can’t recover from that. Remember this: LBJ came to LA for his son!!! He is not driven anymore. Lackadaisical at times. People had Fakers as high as 3 seed!!!! Bad joke. Not in the west. These teams are loaded. Keep eye on Denver. Fakers won’t make playoffs.