When an NBA team underachieves, its head coach typically becomes the scapegoat for the club's shortcomings. The roster may also undergo some changes, but typically veteran players are more expensive and more difficult to replace than a team's coach. As such, head coaches often bounce from job to job, from team to team, never lasting too long with a single franchise.
That has been more true than ever this summer, with six teams already hiring new head coaches, while four more clubs continue to search for replacements. And even with a third of the Association's teams already taking a ride on the coaching carousel, there may be more movement to come — the Grizzlies look like a good bet to replace Lionel Hollins, while one or two other coaches, such as the Raptors' Dwane Casey, don't appear to have totally solid footing.
The constant turnover in the coaching ranks makes it all the more impressive when a head coach stays in one spot for years, or even decades, in the case of Gregg Popovich in San Antonio. Popovich is by far the longest-tenured head coach in the NBA, but he's not the only one who has been with his team for a while now.
Here's the list of the current longest-tenured coaches in the NBA, along with the month and year in which they assumed the role:
- Gregg Popovich, Spurs: December 1996
- Doc Rivers, Celtics: April 2004
- George Karl, Nuggets: January 2005
- Erik Spoelstra, Heat: April 2008
- Rick Carlisle, Mavericks: May 2008
- Scott Brooks, Thunder: November 2008 (interim; permanent since April 2009)
- Lionel Hollins, Grizzlies: January 2009
- Monty Williams, Pelicans: June 2010
- Tom Thibodeau, Bulls: June 2010
- Frank Vogel, Pacers: January 2011 (interim; permanent since July 2011)
- Tyrone Corbin, Jazz: February 2011
- Kevin McHale, Rockets: June 2011
- Mark Jackson, Warriors: June 2011
- Dwane Casey, Raptors: June 2011
- Rick Adelman, Timberwolves: September 2011
- Randy Wittman, Wizards: January 2012 (interim; permanent since June 2012)
- Mike Woodson, Knicks: March 2012 (interim; permanent since May 2012)
- Jacque Vaughn, Magic: July 2012
- Terry Stotts, Trail Blazers: August 2012
- Mike D'Antoni, Lakers: November 2012
- Mike Brown, Cavaliers: April 2013
- Jeff Hornacek, Suns: May 2013
- Mike Budenholzer, Hawks: May 2013
- Steve Clifford, Bobcats: May 2013
- Larry Drew, Bucks: May 2013
- Michael Malone, Kings: June 2013
- ???, 76ers
- ???, Clippers
- ???, Nets
- ???, Pistons