What is the most lucrative NBA coaching job available right now?
With ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reporting Wednesday that neither Scott Brooks (Washington Wizards) nor Stan van Gundy (New Orleans Pelicans) will return as their team's head coach, one-fifth of the league's teams Now looking for replacement on the sideline. That group includes three playoff teams: the Wizards, Boston Celtics, and Portland Trail Blazers.
Because those teams are looking for different types of candidates, potential head coaches won't always - or ever - have the job of their choice. Still, let's rank each opening based on current roster capacity, front-office stability, and path forward, with a particular emphasis on the newcomers that were created today in New Orleans and Washington, DC.
The Blazers are replacing Terry Stotts, one of the longest-serving and most successful coaches in the team's history. (Only the great Dr. Jack Ramsay won more games in Portland as head coach.) President of Basketball Operations Neil Olsche recently stated that the Blazers' fourth loss in the past five seasons, "was not a product of" the roster. And, unless you're Chauncey Billups, star Damien Lillard wants someone else to coach. (Lillard backed the Billups and Jason Kidd, before the latter withdrew from the coaching search.)
There's definitely an upside in Portland. The Blazers had already reached the conference final two years earlier, and Olsche was more accurate in saying that the roster should have been better defensively than 29th - especially if a new coach was hired on the frontcourt than leading reserves Carmelo Anthony and Enes kanter. There are better defensive options available.
Still, it seems like a lot where the Houston Rockets were looking for a new coach last season. If Portland doesn't improve rapidly, the next changes could be changes to the Lillard business and front office, both of which would put a weak new head coach in jeopardy.
Although Brooks' replacement is not living up to the same expectations that Olsche created in Portland, the two positions have some similarities. With Bradley Beal potentially a year away from unrestricted free agency and fellow All-Star Russell Westbrook turning 33 in November, there is a strong urgency for Washington to win with the potential for more change if it doesn't.
Also, the next Wizards coach inherits a team that figured things out during the season with the benefit of Westbrook's improved health. According to NBA Advanced Stats, Washington closed the season on a 15–5 tear to finish eighth in the play-in tournament, posting the NBA's fifth-best net rating in that period (plus-6.9 points per 100 assets). .
Next season will not have the same learning curve for this Wizards roster, which was lengthened by the initial outbreak of COVID-19 that sidelined the team for nearly two weeks in January. Washington's top five players per minute per playoff are under contract for 2021-22, leaving centers Alex Lane and Robin Lopez and guards Raul Neto and Ish Smith as the team's biggest question mark.
As a result, the Wizards are ready for a better campaign, as long as their stars can stay healthy.
Remarkably, the NBA has more coaching fixtures than the league's contenders. Orlando is the only team out of seven that failed to reach at least 30 wins in a 72-game season, after agreeing with Steve Clifford that someone else should oversee the team's latest rebuilding process, calling for a new head coach. In search. His replacement should get time to develop a competitive team.
The question here is whether magic can find the centerpiece of their creation this time. Orlando has not drafted a player reaching the All-Star Game with the Magic since taking on both Dwight Howard and Jamir Nelson in 2004. If Orlando can stay in the top five of this year's draft -- with a nearly two-thirds chance of entering next week's lottery -- that kind of talent may await.
In terms of job security, the pacers' openings look ideal. Indiana certainly wouldn't want to look for a fourth coach after Nate Björkgren lasted just one season as Nate McMillan's replacement. The next Pacers head coach will almost certainly inherit a healthier roster.
The team's projected start for 2021–22 (guards Malcolm Brogdon and Caris Levert, forwards Domantas Sabonis and TJ Warren and center Myles Turner) missed a combined 143 games due to injury, and both Turner and Warren made up for Indiana's loss in play. Were unavailable - at the Wizards' Tournament.
The downside is that there isn't much upside. The Pacers' projected starts are all age 25 or older, meaning there is little potential for the internal development needed for Indiana to become a competitor in the Eastern Conference. Still, it would be nice to be back in the playoffs and be competitive in the first round after a disappointing 2020-21 campaign.
Certainly, New Orleans has the most interesting coaching opening so far this off-season. In 20-year-old All-Star Zion Williamson, the Pelicans have the kind of franchise building block that other lottery teams are keen to find, and there are other young pieces on the roster.
The trick would be fitting them together, especially on the defensive end of the court. The defensive upgrades New Orleans was hoping Van Gundy would never materially provide. In fact, the Pelicans fell from 21st in defensive ratings in 2019-20 to 23rd this season under Alvin Gentry. As a result, New Orleans could not even reach the play-in tournament, although Williamson remained healthy for the bulk of the regular season before a metacarpal fracture tore them out of the previous six games.
In the short term, the Pelicans' roster resilience is a concern. Eric Bledsoe's $18.1 million salary for 2021-22 and the signing of Steven Adams for a two-year $35 million extension - which seems inflated given the market rate for the centers - has helped New Orleans Has left a little over $30 million to spend and re-sign banned free agents Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart while living below the luxury tax line. The bowling ball, another youth building block, will be painful for the Pelicans' next head coach.
Despite those concerns, any coach would love to work with a talented youngster like Williamson. If he takes another step in his development, New Orleans could race to the West playoffs next season.
As tremendous as the Celtics were this season, they are a clear choice as the most favorable landing spot for a coach among the current openings. Start with Boston's remarkable stability at the front office and on the sidelines. This will only be the Celtics' third coach in an 18-season period - as many as the Pacers and Pelicans have in the last three. And none of Boston's previous two coaching changes have been firing, as Doc Rivers sought a trade to the LA Clippers while Brad Stevens to replace longtime Danny Ange as president of basketball operations. left the post.
Better yet, the Celtics have Jaylen Brown and Jason Tatum at their long-term core in the wings. Keeping the right pieces around them will be a challenge for Stevens, but Boston has already worked hard to find young All-Stars. And with Tatum beginning a rookie extension as the Browns enter the second season of their four-year deal, the Celtics don't face the same pressure to avoid leaving with the old stars.
Taking his place while reporting to Stevens would be an interesting position for the new Boston head coach. Nonetheless, the Celtics should have their choices.