With another regular season in the books, a handful of teams around the NBA are making head coaching changes in advance of the 2022/23 campaign.
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.
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Updated 6-28-22 (2:59pm CT)
Completed Searches:
Charlotte Hornets
- New coach:
- Steve Clifford (story)
- Previous coach:
- James Borrego (fired)
- Offered job:
- Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson (story)
- Also interviewed/considered:
- Other rumored candidates/targets:
Hornets leadership – apparently frustrated by the club’s subpar defense and poor play-in performances – decided this spring that Borrego was no longer the man for the job, despite his solid track record of player development.
The Hornets, said to prefer candidates with previous NBA head coaching experience, ended up meeting with a handful of former head coaches and experienced assistants. Ham was thought to be a serious candidate for the job before he accepted an offer from the Lakers, and D’Antoni and Stotts also reportedly made it deep in the process, but it was ultimately Atkinson who won out — or so it seemed.
Eight days after reportedly reaching an agreement on a four-year deal with the Hornets, Atkinson had a change of heart and decided to remain in his assistant role with the champion Warriors, sending Charlotte back to the drawing board.
With their search back on, the Hornets landed on an unlikely candidate: Clifford, who coached the team from 2013-18. He’s back for a second go-round after leading Charlotte to a pair of playoff appearances during his previous five-year stint. Clifford reportedly signed a three-year deal that includes two guaranteed seasons and a team option.
Los Angeles Lakers
- New coach:
- Darvin Ham (story)
- Previous coach:
- Frank Vogel (fired)
- Also reportedly interviewed/considered:
- Other rumored candidates/targets:
Vogel, predictably, became the fall guy in Los Angeles for one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history. The handling of Vogel’s dismissal, the Lakers’ cap inflexibility, and rumors of front office meddling raised questions about the position’s appeal for a number of would-be candidates, especially those who already had head coaching jobs. Targets like Nurse, Rivers, and Howard never seemed realistic.
After narrowing their search down to three reported finalists, the Lakers opted for a first-time head coach – Bucks assistant Ham – over a pair of candidates with previous head coaching experience in Stotts and Atkinson. L.A. will be hoping Ham can replicate the success that first-timers (and former players) like Ime Udoka and Willie Green had in 2021/22.
Ham reportedly agreed to a four-year contract with the Lakers.
Sacramento Kings
- New coach:
- Mike Brown (story)
- Previous coach:
- Alvin Gentry (interim coach not retained)
- Also reportedly interviewed/considered:
Gentry, who replaced Luke Walton during the first half of 2021/22, previously stuck around following interim stints in Detroit and Phoenix to become those teams’ permanent head coaches, but he was unable to replicate that feat in Sacramento, leading the club to an underwhelming 24-41 record to close out the season.
After the Kings decided to replace Gentry, a report indicated that they wanted to hire a defensive-minded head coach who had experience turning a lottery team into a playoff club. Brown (Cleveland), Jackson (Golden State), and Clifford (Charlotte and Orlando) – Sacramento’s three finalists – all fit that bill. The team ultimately chose Brown, hiring him away from a Golden State franchise that Kings governor Vivek Ranadive used to own a stake in.
Brown reportedly received a four-year contract from the Kings.
Utah Jazz
- New coach:
- Will Hardy (story)
- Previous coach:
- Quin Snyder (stepped down)
- Interviewed/expected to interview:
- Former NBA head coach Terry Stotts (story)
- Jazz assistant Alex Jensen (story)
- Knicks assistant Johnnie Bryant (story)
- Bucks assistant Charles Lee (story)
- Celtics assistant Joe Mazzulla (story)
- Former NBA head coach Frank Vogel (story)
- Jazz assistant Lamar Skeeter (story)
- Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin (story)
- Suns assistant Kevin Young (story)
- Heat assistant Chris Quinn (story)
- Mavericks assistant Sean Sweeney (story)
- Grand Rapids Gold coach Jason Terry (story)
- Pistons assistant Jerome Allen (story)
- Sixers assistant Sam Cassell (story)
Speculation about Snyder’s future began well before the Jazz were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. While Utah reportedly had no interest in replacing Snyder, the veteran coach decided it was time for him to move on after spending the last eight years with the franchise.
With the Jazz expected to consider major roster changes this summer after another disappointing finish to the season, the team was reportedly seeking a coach that could command “buy-in and respect” from Utah’s players. The focus was said to be on candidates who were highly regarded for their player development skills and defensive acumen.
The team cast a wide net and ultimately landed on Celtics assistant Hardy, who served for several years under Gregg Popovich in San Antonio before joining Ime Udoka in Boston. Hardy, a first-time head coach, will be the NBA’s youngest active head coach at age 34.
He reportedly got a five-year deal from Utah.