NBA, Terry Stotts, Portland Trail Blazers. Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
No head coach in the NBA is ever safe. From the expectations of owners and the front office to the ticking clocks of star players to the vagaries of injury, a multitude of factors weigh into whether a coach loses his job above and beyond their performance.
The right situation can help a coach stay employed even if they have a down year. The wrong situation can see a coach sent packing at the smallest misstep. With a number of coaching vacancies open leaguewide, including at least three coming open this week, the best coaching candidates can think through which would be the best to interview for.
Ranking the NBA head coaching vacancies: What jobs are available?
Wednesday morning the news broke that Stan Van Gundy was out as the head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans after just one season, a surprise not only because he had just one year at the helm but because it was on his watch that Zion Williamson transformed into “Point Zion” and took the league by storm.
Wednesday morning the world also learned that Washington Wizards head coach Scott Brooks would not be returning to the Wizards, as the two sides could not come to terms on a new contract. Brooks was one of the league’s more highly paid coaches and likely was not keen on staying with a mediocre team if it meant a significant pay cut — and yet he hadn’t truly earned a continuation of his former salary either.
Thursday the news kept coming. After The Athletic dropped an incendiary look into the Dallas Mavericks’ organizational distress on Tuesday (subscription required), head coach Rick Carlisle announced he was leaving the team after 13 seasons. He follows longtime general manager Donnie Nelson out the door as the Mavericks are suddenly faced with a leadership vacuum.
Those three franchises join four others leaguewide looking for a new coach. The Boston Celtics moved Brad Stevens into the front office and are conducting a search for his replacement. The Indiana Pacers let Nate Bjorkgren go after just one season, as he reportedly lost his locker room entirely. The Orlando Magic are heading into an all-out rebuild and aren’t dragging Steve Clifford along.
Finally, the Portland Trail Blazers fired longtime coach Terry Stotts after one more season of exiting the playoffs in the first round. That makes seven total openings, with the potential for more depending on how the Milwaukee Bucks fare in the postseason and whether another team makes a surprise firing along the lines of the Pelicans. Nearly a quarter of the league now has to fill a head coaching vacancy.
For now, we will take these seven openings and rank them according to how attractive they should be to potential head-coaching candidates. Taking into account factors such as team talent, roster flexibility, expectations, market and ownership, which vacancy is the best for a new head coach, and which is the worst?
coach loses his job above and beyond</a> their performance.</p>
<p>The right situation can help a coach stay employed even if they have a down year. The wrong situation can see a coach sent packing at the smallest misstep. With a number of coaching vacancies open leaguewide, including at least three coming open this week, the best coaching candidates can think through which would be the best to interview for.</p>
<h2>Ranking the NBA head coaching vacancies: What jobs are available?</h2>
<p>Wednesday morning the news broke that <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/06/16/nba-ranking-head-coaching-vacancies/"https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31644683/sources-stan-van-gundy-one-season-new-orleans-pelicans" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stan Van Gundy was out as the head coach</a> of the New Orleans Pelicans after just one season, a surprise not only because he had just one year at the helm but because it was on his watch that Zion Williamson transformed into “Point Zion” and took the league by storm.</p>
<p>Wednesday morning the world also learned that Washington Wizards head coach Scott Brooks would not be returning to the Wizards, as the two sides could not come to terms on a new contract. Brooks was one of the league’s more highly paid coaches and likely was not keen on staying with a mediocre team if it meant a significant pay cut — and yet he hadn’t truly earned a continuation of his former salary either.</p>
<p>Thursday the news kept coming. After The Athletic <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/06/16/nba-ranking-head-coaching-vacancies/"https://theathletic.com/2649806/2021/06/14/inside-the-mavericks-front-office-mark-cubans-shadow-gm-is-causing-a-rift-with-luka-doncic/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dropped an incendiary look into the Dallas Mavericks’ organizational distress on Tuesday</a> (subscription required), <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/06/16/nba-ranking-head-coaching-vacancies/"https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1405618099840339968" target="_blank" rel="noopener">head coach Rick Carlisle announced he was leaving the team</a> after 13 seasons. He follows longtime general manager Donnie Nelson out the door as the Mavericks are suddenly faced with a leadership vacuum.</p>
<p>Those three franchises join four others leaguewide looking for a new coach. The Boston Celtics moved Brad Stevens into the front office and are conducting a search for his replacement. The Indiana Pacers let Nate Bjorkgren go after just one season, as he reportedly lost his locker room entirely. The Orlando Magic are heading into an all-out rebuild and aren’t dragging Steve Clifford along.</p>
<p>Finally, the Portland Trail Blazers fired longtime coach Terry Stotts after one more season of exiting the playoffs in the first round. That makes seven total openings, with the potential for more depending on how the Milwaukee Bucks fare in the postseason and whether another team makes a surprise firing along the lines of the Pelicans. Nearly a quarter of the league now has to fill a head coaching vacancy.</p>
<p>For now, we will take these seven openings and rank them according to how attractive they should be to potential head-coaching candidates. Taking into account factors such as team talent, roster flexibility, expectations, market and ownership, which vacancy is the best for a new head coach, and which is the worst?</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/06/16/nba-ranking-head-coaching-vacancies/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Best job </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_430905" class="wp-caption aligncenter">
<img class="size-full wp-image-430905" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/06/16/nba-ranking-head-coaching-vacancies/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1135,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2021%2F06%2F1233243555.jpeg" alt="Dallas Mavericks" width="1600" height="1135" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2021/06/1233243555.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2021/06/1233243555-768x545.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">Dallas Mavericks (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)</p>
</div>
</div>
<h2>Ranking the NBA head coaching vacancies:1. Dallas Mavericks</h2>
<p>The <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/06/16/nba-ranking-head-coaching-vacancies/"https://thesmokingcuban.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dallas Mavericks</a> organization is a mess right now, with prominent departures left and right. After The Athletic’s shocking look into the conflict within the franchise over Haralabob Voulgaris’ outsized and uncertain role in the team’s decision making, both the Mavericks’ general manager and head coach have now left the organization.</p>
<p>That has to be cleared up before a head coaching candidate takes the job. There needs to be a new general manager in place, and the roles of authority need to be clearly established. If Voulgaris is retained, his limitations and specific line of reporting need to be laid out. If he’s the new GM, at least that’s clear and the next head coach can come in with eyes wide open.</p>
<p>Once that is worked out, this immediately becomes the most attractive job on the market for one clear reason: Luka Doncic. The 22-year-old is already a top-10 player in the league, making the All-NBA 1st Team each of the past two seasons. He finished sixth in MVP voting a year after finishing fourth. He was transcendent in the Mavericks’ seven-game loss to the LA Clippers this past postseason.</p>
<p>Winning a title is the goal of every head coach; not only are coaches usually the most competitive people out there but winning a title also gives you the best kind of job security and the expectation of future jobs down the line. The Mavericks’ former coach Rick Carlisle spent 10 seasons with the Mavericks after winning the 2011 NBA title, and he chose his moment to leave.</p>
<p>Doncic is not only a superstar, but he is one built to excel in the postseason. Teams have to change their entire defensive scheme to slow him down, and his passing ability gets his teammates involved. Any head coach should be dying to hitch their wagon to the Slovenian phenom.</p>
<p>There are downsides here outside of the bizarre front office situation. This roster has some serious limitations, and the Mavericks are down a few draft picks in the future to try and restructure it. Kristaps Porzingis has seen injuries turn him into a 7’3” spot-up guy. The next head coach will hopefully have a shuffled deck of cards ot deal with.</p>
<p>At the end of the day, this is a franchise in a large enough market with an owner who is involved but supportive. The roster isn’t terrible for a team that finished with the league’s eighth-best record last season. And at the heart of it all is Doncic, the crown jewel for any potential head coach.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/06/16/nba-ranking-head-coaching-vacancies/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> The next best </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_430791" class="wp-caption aligncenter">
<img class="size-full wp-image-430791" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/06/16/nba-ranking-head-coaching-vacancies/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2134,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1294969541.jpeg" alt="Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1294969541.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1294969541-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics. Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images</p>
</div>
</div>
<h2>Ranking the NBA head coaching vacancies: 2. Boston Celtics</h2>
<p>There have been some cases of an NBA head coach moving up into the front office of the team he oversaw. Examples from NBA history include Red Auerbach and Pat Riley. It’s less common in the modern NBA and theoretically would only happen when an all-time great wants to move into a different stage of their career.</p>
<p>The Boston Celtics instead moved head coach Brad Stevens to the top of the front office, not because he was coming off a decade of NBA Finals appearances but because he was “tired” of the coaching grind. That puts Stevens in the rare place of finding his own replacement.</p>
<p>Working under Stevens seems like a positive on the surface, as he is genial, intelligent and laid-back. Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck has been loyal to his own and gives his coaches a lot of leash; Stevens was coach for eight years, and Doc Rivers for another eight before him.</p>
<p>The roster is stocked with talent, from Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown on the wing to young center Robert Williams inside. Former All-Star point guard Kemba Walker is on the downswing of his career but still a talented scorer, while Marcus Smart is the heart-and-soul of the team. A new head coach won’t have much roster flexibility, which is more of a Stevens problem than a coaching problem, and it won’t have a top-10 player. Yet Tatum could still rise to that level, and having two All-Star wings under long-term contract is about as stable as an NBA roster gets.</p>
<p>The Celtics are in a large market that hasn’t been a huge free agent draw, although in recent years they signed Al Horford and Gordon Hayward to max deals, and to an extent recruited Walker as well. A new coach will have expectations to compete during Tatum and Brown’s primes, but given how last season ended there won’t be a mandate to win a title next season. It’s not a perfect job, but it’s a really good one.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/06/16/nba-ranking-head-coaching-vacancies/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Good jobs </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_430788" class="wp-caption aligncenter">
<img class="size-full wp-image-430788" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/06/16/nba-ranking-head-coaching-vacancies/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1067,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1309784227.jpeg" alt="Stan Van Gundy, New Orleans Pelicans" width="1600" height="1067" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1309784227.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1309784227-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">Stan Van Gundy, New Orleans Pelicans. Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images</p>
</div>
</div>
<h2>Ranking the NBA head coaching vacancies: 3. New Orleans Pelicans</h2>
<p>Stan Van Gundy was fired as head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans after just one season, in large part because he failed to get this roster to the playoffs. The clock is already clicking on superstar forward Zion Williamson’s contract, especially after he has publicly flirted with the New York Knicks.</p>
<p>A new head coach will be expected to come in and immediately make the postseason. The good news is they will have Williamson at the helm to do so, already at least a top-20 player in the league after his second season. Brandon Ingram is under contract to join him on the forward line, and they have restricted rights on Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart and will likely bring one or both back.</p>
<p>The primary problem is that the Pelicans also owe money to Eric Bledsoe and Steven Adams, to the tune of over $35 million for next season. Both had inconsistent seasons for the Pelicans, and it will be on David Griffin and the front office to construct a better roster around Williamson. This isn’t an elite job, especially not in a market such as New Orleans and with the immediate pressure to win. Yet few jobs offer a star as young or as dynamic as Williamson, and that makes this an attractive landing spot.</p>
<h2>Ranking the NBA head coaching vacancies: 4. Indiana Pacers</h2>
<p>If the expectations for a franchise such as the Los Angeles Lakers are to win a title every season, the expectations for the Indiana Pacers might just be to “try your best.” This is a team, under owner Herb Simon, that focuses on being good without trying to play the “be bad now to be better later” game.</p>
<p>A new head coach will almost certainly be an improvement on Nate Bjorkgren, who lost his veteran locker room within months of taking the job and oversaw a fumbling finish and an exit short of the playoffs.</p>
<p>The roster is solid at every position, and with reasonable health should make the postseason next year. On the flip side, the solid-not-spectacular label applies, as this team probably has five or six top-70 players but none in the top-25.</p>
<p>There seem to be reasonable expectations in place in Indiana, so despite the lack of a superstar and the small(ish) market, this is a good job for a head coaching candidate to take.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/06/16/nba-ranking-head-coaching-vacancies/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Iffy jobs </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_430789" class="wp-caption aligncenter">
<img class="size-full wp-image-430789" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/06/16/nba-ranking-head-coaching-vacancies/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2124,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1193204753.jpeg" alt="Scott Brooks, Washington Wizards" width="3200" height="2124" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1193204753.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1193204753-768x510.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Scott Brooks, Washington Wizards. Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images</p>
</div>
</div>
<h2>Ranking the NBA head coaching vacancies: 5. Orlando Magic</h2>
<p>There is something to be said for the low expectations of an NBA rebuild. The ledger of wins and losses is not held against you as a head coach (unless you win too much!) but rather you can focus on player development and evaluation.</p>
<p>The problem is when the rebuild is ready to pivot into contention. That might happen too early, which puts expectations on the coach to win with a roster that still needs to grow up. It might also happen through the hiring of a veteran coach, and thus the “rebuild coach” is sent packing with a terrible win-loss record on their resume.</p>
<p>For a veteran coach such as Mike D’Antoni or Terry Stotts, the Orlando Magic are not a good fit as they are entering a full rebuild. For a younger coach, especially one confident in their development chops, this could be a chance to show the NBA world they are a great choice as coach — perhaps with the Magic, or perhaps with another team.</p>
<h2>Ranking the NBA head coaching vacancies: 6. Washington Wizards</h2>
<p>One of the best things an NBA head coach can hope for in a job is security. The Washington Wizards, under owner Ted Leonsis, have historically been very slow to move on from their employees, be that in the front office or in the head coaching chair.</p>
<p>Former head coach Scott Brooks won just one series with the franchise in five seasons, yet was able to ride out his entire contract. An incoming head coach could expect a similar runway.</p>
<p>The Wizards have an All-NBA guard in Bradley Beal, and an All-Triple-Double guard in Russell Westbrook. The Wizards are likely to keep fighting to make the playoffs as long as Beal is willing to stick around, which means a floor-raising head coach could find their groove; Steve Clifford is a name that comes to mind.</p>
<p>A head coach has little hope of contending, however, which likely caps the long-term upside. Westbrook will no longer be a major part of a contender, and this team lacks the flexibility to build something much different around them.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/06/16/nba-ranking-head-coaching-vacancies/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Worst job </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_430790" class="wp-caption aligncenter">
<img class="size-full wp-image-430790" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/06/16/nba-ranking-head-coaching-vacancies/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2199,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1317032423.jpeg" alt="Terry Stotts, Portland Trail Blazers" width="3200" height="2199" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1317032423.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1317032423-768x528.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Terry Stotts, Portland Trail Blazers. Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images</p>
</div>
</div>
<h2>Ranking the NBA head coaching vacancies: 7. Portland Trail Blazers</h2>
<p>In Terry Stotts’ first season coaching the Portland Trail Blazers, he raised the team’s win total by five wins, but they missed the playoffs. The next eight seasons he and Damian Lillard led the team to the playoffs, although they notched just three series wins in those eight years.</p>
<p>Lillard is still around, and Portland is looking for a new coach to take this roster and contend for a title before Lillard is either too old or decides he wants to leave (likely by forcing a trade). The benefit of this job is stepping into a win-now team with a top-10 player.</p>
<div class="related-categoryright"><div class="related-main-title">More from <span class="related-name">NBA</span></div><ul><li>
<a class="related-link" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/06/16/nba-ranking-head-coaching-vacancies/"https://hoopshabit.com/2022/08/22/nba-opening-week-matchups/" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="related-category-shortcode">NBA Opening Week features 3 of the league’s most anticipated matchups</a>
</li><li>
<a class="related-link" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/06/16/nba-ranking-head-coaching-vacancies/"https://hoopshabit.com/2022/08/21/nba-can-make-mid-season-tournament-hit/" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="related-category-shortcode">How the NBA can make a mid-season tournament major success</a>
</li><li>
<a class="related-link" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/06/16/nba-ranking-head-coaching-vacancies/"https://hoopshabit.com/2022/08/20/potential-first-time-all-star-2023/" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="related-category-shortcode">4 rising talents who could become a first-time NBA All-Star in 2023</a>
</li><li>
<a class="related-link" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/06/16/nba-ranking-head-coaching-vacancies/"https://hoopshabit.com/2022/08/20/teams-sign-fa-carmelo-anthony/" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="related-category-shortcode">4 teams that should jump at chance to sign free agent Carmelo Anthony</a>
</li><li>
<a class="related-link" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/06/16/nba-ranking-head-coaching-vacancies/"https://hoopshabit.com/2022/08/18/timberwolves-analyzing-towns-gobert/" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="related-category-shortcode">Timberwolves’ new twin towers could change the NBA’s blueprint yet again</a>
</li></ul></div>
<p>The downside is the timetable and gargantuan expectations. If a new head coach cannot immediately turn this roster into a respectable defensive squad, and deliver a series win or two, they may have an incredibly short leash, especially if the franchise trades Lillard and tears down.</p>
<p>For a first-time head coach such as Chauncey Billups or Becky Hammond, this is a boom-or-bust post. Win right away with Lillard and you boost your stock and likely secure a second job whenever their time in Portland ends. Fail to work immediate magic, and it could be one-and-done.</p>
<p>That makes the Portland vacancy the worst one in the league, despite the presence of Lillard. Head coaches should want stability and timetable more so than simply short-term talent, and Portland does not offer those. A year from now it could look very different.</p>
<p>Whether an NBA head coach is looking for their first job or their fifth, it pays to think critically about the possibilities and choose the best situation possible. Not every candidate gets that chance, and there are only 30 of these jobs in the whole world.</p>
<p>For those who can pick, looking more towards Boston or New Orleans and less towards Washington or Portland looks like the right move.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="Mavs: Floor spacing free agents to pair with Luka" data-url="https://hoopshabit.com/2021/06/15/dallas-mavericks-free-agents-luka-doncic/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/06/16/nba-ranking-head-coaching-vacancies/"https://hoopshabit.com/2021/06/15/dallas-mavericks-free-agents-luka-doncic/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> Mavs: Floor spacing free agents to pair with Luka </a> </div>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—>">