Multiple teams around the NBA are making head coaching changes in advance of the 2026/27 season. In the space below, we’ll provide regular updates on the head coaching searches for each club that has yet to give anyone the permanent title. Some of these searches could extend well into the offseason, so be sure to check back often for the latest updates.
You’ll be able to access this page anytime under the “Hoops Rumors Features” menu on the right sidebar on our desktop site, or on the “Features” page in our mobile menu.
Updated 6-10-26 (7:37 am CT)
Active Searches
Chicago Bulls
- Previous coach:
- Billy Donovan (story)
- Reported finalists:
- Also reportedly considered/considering:
The Bulls parted ways with top front office executives Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley shortly after the regular season ended, but seemed prepared – or even eager – to bring back Donovan. Ultimately though, with the team seemingly entering a rebuilding period, Donovan decided against returning, having reportedly determined that both sides would benefit from a fresh start.
Donovan’s exit puts new executive VP of basketball operations Bryson Graham in position to choose his own head coach in his first year on the job. It will be a big offseason for Graham, who is also reshaping the Bulls’ front office.
Dallas Mavericks
- Previous coach:
- Jason Kidd (story)
- Reportedly considering:
Before the Mavericks hired Masai Ujiri to run their front office, all indications were that the Mavericks envisioned Kidd remaining a fixture on the sidelines in Dallas. The Mavs extended Kidd in 2024 and again in 2025, and he reportedly still had four years and more than $40MM left on his contract entering this offseason.
However, Ujiri was noncommittal about Kidd’s future during his introductory press conference in early May, and less than two weeks later, word broke that the two sides had agreed to part ways. While it was framed as a mutual decision, it sure sounds as if Ujiri wanted to start with a clean slate as he looks to find the right coach to help turn Cooper Flagg into a superstar.
Portland Trail Blazers
- Previous coach:
- Tiago Splitter (interim)
- Reported finalists:
- Also reportedly considered/considering:
- Clippers assistant Jeff Van Gundy (story)
- Jazz assistant Mike Williams (story)
- Former Warriors assistant Jerry Stackhouse (story)
- Nuggets assistant Jared Dudley (story)
- Rockets assistant Ben Sullivan (story)
- Nets assistant Steve Hetzel (story)
- Lakers assistant Greg St. Jean (story)
- Rockets assistant Royal Ivey (story)
- St. Louis University coach Josh Schertz (story)
- Iowa coach Ben McCollum (story)
- Celtics assistant D.J. MacLeay (story)
- Heat consultant Noah LaRoche (story)
- Brisbane Bullets coach/president Will Weaver (story)
- Hawks assistant Bryan Bailey (story)
- Former Mavericks coach Jason Kidd (story)
The Trail Blazers may end up technically replacing two head coaches this offseason. While Chauncey Billups was never technically fired, it seems pretty safe to assume his coaching tenure in Portland is over following his October arrest on money laundering and wire fraud conspiracy charges. Splitter did an admirable job upon being promoted from his assistant role, leading the Blazers to their first playoff berth in five years, but he’s one of several candidates being considered for the permanent position.
The involvement of new team owner Tom Dundon is a wild-card factor here. At least one report has indicated that Dundon wants to interview upwards of 30 candidates for the job in the hopes of gathering as much intel as possible on the coaching market. There have also been rumors suggesting that Dundon isn’t looking to spend more than about $1.5MM per year, which would make the Blazers’ coach the lowest-paid in the NBA. However, sources connected to the Blazers’ owner and the team have pushed back on those reports.
For what it’s worth, some experienced coaches – including Michael Malone and Tom Thibodeau – reportedly rebuffed the Blazers’ efforts to speak to them when they launched their search while Splitter was still coaching the team in the playoffs.
Completed Searches
Milwaukee Bucks
- New coach:
- Taylor Jenkins (story)
- Previous coach:
- Doc Rivers (story)
- Also reportedly considered:
- Bucks assistant Darvin Ham (story)
When the Bucks announced their split with Rivers, they said he was “stepping down,” and the Hall of Famer later insisted it was “100%” his decision to leave. Still, it sure seemed by the end of the season that both sides were ready for a change, with one report in early April suggesting there had been a “season-long disconnect” between Rivers and his players.
While Milwaukee likely looked at a few more candidates who went unreported, it didn’t take the team long to zero in on Jenkins. He was identified even before the end of the regular season as a top target, and the Bucks reportedly reached a deal with him just 10 days after confirming that Rivers wouldn’t return.
Jenkins’ track record of player development, culture-setting, and competitiveness during his time as Memphis’ head coach was said to appeal to the Bucks, who invested heavily in him. One report said he received a six-year deal, while another said he’ll be paid “well north” of $10MM annually.
New Orleans Pelicans
- New coach:
- Jamahl Mosley (story)
- Previous coach:
- James Borrego (interim)
- Also reportedly considered:
After firing Willie Green early in the 2025/26 season, the Pelicans turned to Borrego, who was the lead assistant on Green’s staff and had previous head coaching stints in Orlando and Charlotte. New Orleans played a little better after the coaching change, but Borrego didn’t exactly lock up the permanent job by leading the club to a 24-46 record, so the front office opened up its search to outside candidates this spring.
While New Orleans reportedly considered candidates like Rondo, Ham, Hetzel, and Sweeney, it seemed as if the Pelicans were just waiting to see whether Mosley would be available. Their interest in Orlando’s head coach was reported way back in November when Green was let go, so when the Magic dismissed Mosley in early May following its first-round playoff exit, the only question was whether or not he’d want to take a year off after spending the past five seasons with the Magic.
As it turned out, Mosley was eager to jump right into a new job and agreed to a five-year contract to become New Orleans’ new head coach. The Pelicans are said to be optimistic that Mosley, who took over a 21-win Magic squad and eventually guided the team to three consecutive playoff appearances, can lead the 26-56 Pelicans on a similar upward trajectory.
Orlando Magic
The Magic entered the season projected to be one of the top three or four teams in the East and instead spent most of the year battling for play-in positioning. Injuries were a factor, but the club’s performance was still disappointing enough that Mosley was on the hot seat for much of the second half. It briefly looked in the first round of the playoffs like he might be able to save his job when Orlando took a 3-1 lead on the top-seeded Pistons, but with Franz Wagner sidelined, the team lost the final three games of that series and Mosley was dismissed less than 24 hours later.
No Magic players under contract for 2026/27 are over 28 years old, but this is still a veteran roster with win-now expectations, so there was an expectation that Orlando’s head coaching hire would reflect that, with the team favoring someone with previous experience. And two of the finalists in the search, Donovan and Van Gundy, certainly fit that bill.
But it was the third finalist, Sweeney, who reportedly “blew away” team officials during the interview process and earned the job, with Orlando opting for another first-time head coach. Although getting deeper into the playoffs is their primary goal, the Magic also believe there’s more room for their current core players to grow and value Sweeney’s player development trade record.
Sweeney reportedly signed a four-year contract with the Magic.
The list for the Orlando Magic doesn’t look very promising, to say the least.
For what it’s worth, I think they’re one of 2-3 teams on here who are pretty early in their process, so more names should surface in the coming days/weeks.
Orlando has the most talented roster of any team looking for a new coach, im sure that hold some appeal.
The list for New Orleans pretty sad. Just keep Borrego
Rajon Rondo? Darvin Ham? Oh, boy.