NBA Hot Seat 2023-24
Each job is different in expectations and timelines. For example, Gregg Popovich is overly qualified and paid to be coaching a developmental team like he has. He’s also done so much for the organization and is likely to retire within a few seasons. There are no real expectations right now. Others however may not have the time. When teams with expectations underachieve in the playoffs, the coach is usually the first to go, not the stars of the team as we’ve seen with Doc Rivers, Mike Budenholzer, and Monty Williams losing their jobs last season.
You may be the franchise’s savior one day, and out the next, while you’re collecting money from the final two years of your head-coaching contract.. Coaches are frequently changed in the NBA. NBA Coach of the Year winners have often gone on the job market the following summer. Remember when Dwane Casey was let go by the Raptors and afterwards praised for his coaching abilities on Twitter? Being fired usually isn’t the end the way these coaches are recycled from job to job.
Joe Mazzulla
Brad Stevens stuck with Mazzulla after some playoff struggles last season. After going all in to get Kristaps Porzingis baring injury it seems like NBA finals or bust. Failure to get back to the place they were 2 seasons ago may end the on the job training experiment. This franchise with the young stars they have and its history would have no shortage of options.
Bill Donovan
The Bulls went for it when they traded for Nikola Vucevic. Unfortunately the roster really just isn’t there. They have missed the playoffs two of Donovan’s seasons and were a first round out the other. With some aging “star” players I wouldn’t expect him to last past the season.
Chris Finch
There has to be a fall person when you mortgage your future draft considerations to a player like Rudy Gobert to cure all of your problems and then things start to get even more humiliating. Changing the coach is far simpler than making drastic personnel adjustments.
