The Rockets completed their head coaching search a week-and-a-half ago, hiring Ime Udoka to replace Stephen Silas. However, there are still three NBA teams still in the market for new coaches.
[RELATED: 2023 NBA Head Coaching Search Tracker]
Interestingly, those three clubs – the Bucks, Pistons, and Raptors – are at very different stages in terms of their development, so even if they consider some of the same candidates, they’ll likely have very different expectations for their new hires, especially in the short term.
Milwaukee won a title in 2021 and expected to make it back to the NBA Finals in each of the last two seasons. The fact that they only won a single playoff series during that stretch is why Mike Budenholzer is out of work — his replacement will be expected to make deeper postseason runs with a roster headed by two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
While the Bucks’ roster has championship upside, the NBA’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement will limit the front office’s flexibility going forward and could hamstring the team’s ability to make additional upgrades. It also may force management to make difficult decisions on upcoming contracts for key contributors on the wrong side of 30, including Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez.
Detroit is on the opposite side of the spectrum, having won no more than 23 games in a season in any of the last four years. There are some promising young pieces here – including Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren, and whichever player the team drafts in the top five next month – but the Pistons are all about unrealized potential.
No one on the roster has made an All-Star team, and the next step for the club will be contending for a play-in spot, not a championship. So while a new head coach will be expected to help Detroit take a step forward right away, there won’t be any immediate expectations of winning playoff series.
The Raptors are somewhere in the middle of those two extremes. The team’s 41-41 record this past season was a disappointment, given the presence of former All-Stars like Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet, along with 2022 Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes and three-and-D standout OG Anunoby. But the roster probably lacks the star power and depth necessary to legitimate vie for a championship.
Toronto traded away its 2024 first-round pick with minimal (top-six) protection, so the team won’t want to take a step back next season, even if it makes some significant roster changes. The new head coach will be expected to get the Raptors back to the postseason and not just to make a quick exit.
We want to know what you think: which of the NBA’s three current head coaching vacancies do you view as the most and least appealing jobs? What sort of candidates do you think would be good fits in Milwaukee, Detroit, and Toronto?
Head to the comment section below to share your thoughts!
I think our own Kurtis Blow deserves a look at one of these open coaching jobs…at the local ymca…teaching aerobics…to people’s pets.
He may be a little bit smaller but is definitely a baller
Nick Nurse is a no-brainer for Milwaukee.
Nurse to MLK is the only one who has championship on resume… has coached star players… as a Bucks fan will be disappointed if not Nurse
If 76ers lose to Celtics, Rivers may be available for the lottery teams
He has taken the teams to top 3 seeds many times
Doc Rivers has never coached a team “up”. Boston, Clippers and Philly all had established superstar talent.
This is Philly’s last shot. Once they give Harden a 5-year, max deal it’s a wrap. That is basically going to turn into a contract that cannot be moved for a past his prime player.
Giving Harden a max contract would be crippling to a franchise…. Joel will never win with Harden, he’s 33….
I honestly think the Detroit Pistons job is the most attractive. The reason I say that is because there is no way but up. Young talent cap space and the chance to land a once in a generation talent in Victor Wembanyama.
The Toronto Raptors can easily blow it up. Outside of Scottie Barnes nobody is safe.
The Milwaukee Bucks have too many unknowns. The owner sold his part of the team and with the new CBA a small market team like the Milwaukee Bucks can really be hit hard. If Giannis Antetokounmpo don’t sign that extension this team could be ready to do a total rebuild.
As a head coach the Detroit Pistons job is the only job that comes with clarity and that’s what you want in a head coach.
It’s going to be very interesting to see what these teams do and who they hire and what players are they going to actually be coaching.
The expectations are very high from Bucks, Pistons, and Raptors. All available coaches are unlikely to exceed the expecations.
All 3 teams need top 10 coaches in the nba. They are not available
The expectations are not very high for the Pistons. Their goal is to bring in a Mark Daignault type coach to help make Thunder type progress over the next two years.
Kevin Ollie is reported to be the Pistons front runner because of his direct experience coaching and relating to 18-21 year-olds.
Lol bucks don’t have an owner, we have multiple owners. It was only one of them that sold the % they owned
Bucks job may not be the most attractive as many would think. Sure, you have Giannis, but Middleton, Holiday and Lopez are getting long in the tooth. I would say that there’s as much a likelihood that the Bucks will need to completely retool at the end of next year as it is that they seriously compete or win an NBA title. Factor in the lack of picks the team has over the next five years and not a lot of assets that have real trade value, and the long term future looks even a bit more questionable.
I don’t think the Pistons job is going to look that attractive to a tenured coach with a background in winning, UNLESS the Pistons don’t hire a coach until the draft lottery passes and they win the Victor sweepstakes.
That leaves the Raptors, who while the job doesn’t look overly attractive now, still have the best trade pieces and ability to shed significant salary, or retool and become a top six team in the East again as early as next year. After sending next year’s first to San Antonio, the Raps don’t have more than a couple of 2nds going out the door. Depth was the issue this year, but a trade of either Siakim or more specifically OG would resolve this. If Fred and Trent both opted out and left, the Raps would have some money to spend. Scottie moving to any of PG, SG, or PF allows the Raps more flexibility, and Ujiri is still a very good GM. Adding someone like Jarace Walker, or Keyonta George in the draft gives the Raps something they don’t have now.
Management has to sit Giannis down, with new coach, hopefully Nurse, sell that we have to retool immediately without giving up championship hopes…. Let Middleton go unless accepts 2 yr reworked deal… Actually can always get a cheap shooter, RESIGN LOPEZ For short term deal… he plays D, shoots 3, plays around basket… a real coach will use him properly… Giannis needs a 7 ft2’’ big man to play with…. MOVE HOLIDAY TO SHOOTING GUARD… get a real point guard….
I don’t think any of these jobs are that desirable. At least without some clarification from the team’s FO. Start with the FO’s expectations for the team over the next couple of years, and the planned personnel moves to align the roster with them.
DET’s FO might actually have the eaisiest job of the three. Which is remarkable considering this regime has an historically bad record. A HC might just want assurances that after 3 years, they’re no longer trying to win the race to the bottom.
MIL’s roster last season made it a good job, but I’m not sure about this coming year, even if they try and run it back. Not that simple, particularly after firing the only coach they’ve had any success under in many decades.
TOR’s roster last season made it a bad job, but there’s enough talent that the right retooling of it might have things looking up going forward.
Toronto & MLK both have to both retool on fly.. Scottie Barnes is their point guard… resign center Poetle… keep siakam & OG… invest in new shooting guard… let Fred walk….