The Head Coach Hotseat

Bucks coach Larry Drew is just one of many NBA coaches who may be looking for work soon.

The NBA playoffs are well underway, which means that this year’s lottery-bound teams will be making some tough personnel decisions within the next few months.

Currently, there are five lottery teams looking for a new head coach: Detroit, who fired Maurice Cheeks just 50 games into the season, New York, who relieved Mike Woodson of his duties under new president of basketball operations Phil Jackson, Utah, who canned Ty Corbin the same day the Knicks canned Woodson, Minnesota, who lost Rick Adelman to retirement, and the Los Angeles Lakers, who parted ways with Mike D’Antoni after two tumultuous seasons.

This number could increase, but that doesn’t mean every coach of a lottery-bound team is in danger of losing his job. Let’s take a look at who’s safe, who’s on the hot seat, and who’s gone.

SAFE

Jeff Hornacek – Phoenix Suns

Hornacek, who was the runner-up for this season’s Coach of the Year, led the Suns to a 48-34 record and a 9th place finish in the Western Conference. The Suns finished 7th in total offense (105.2 points per game) and Goran Dragic received the league’s Most Improved Player award. Eric Bledsoe had a tremendous season despite missing several games to a knee injury, and the emergence of Markieff Morris (one of my very own Unsung Heroes), Marcus Morris, and Miles Plumlee gives the Suns plenty of options moving forward. Most importantly, Hornacek helped revive the basketball culture of a city that hadn’t seen a winning season since 2009. And to think that this team was supposed to be tanking. Well done, Jeff.

Brad Stevens – Boston Celtics

When Danny Ainge opted to hire the former Stevens, many questioned whether he could transition from Butler University to the NBA. Despite a 25-57 record in his first season, Stevens proved he was capable of holding his own. He has built a stable relationship with franchise PG Rajon Rondo, and helped in the development of Jared Sullinger, Kelly Olynyk, Chris Johnson, and Phil Pressey. Once the Celtics unload their dead weight, we will see what Stevens is truly capable of. Until then, his job is safe.

Jacque Vaughn – Orlando Magic

Despite two consecutive mediocre seasons, the Magic would be wise to retain Vaughn for the foreseeable future. Victor Oladipo is a candidate for Rookie of the Year and Nikola Vucevic, who averaged a double-double in both points (14.2) and rebounds (11.0) for the second straight season, is continuing to develop into one of the league’s elite young centers. Aaron Afflalo emerged as a player worth keeping/building around, and Tobias Harris and Kyle O’Quinn also improved dramatically despite some growing pains. Orlando has another high draft pick and plenty of cap space, so there is no need to panic in the Sunshine State. Simply put, Vaughn is in the same boat as Brad Stevens; once the pieces are in place, it will be his job to put them together. The Magic seem to agree, having extended his contract along with GM Rob Hennigan on Friday.

Brett Brown – Philadelphia 76ers

Most understood the Sixers weren’t competing this year; this year was about finding and/or developing talent. Despite a 19-63 record, Brown did a tremendous job working with a young and inexperienced team and building a foundation to build upon. Michael Carter-Williams won Rookie of the Year and young studs Henry Sims (also an Unsung Hero) and Tony Wroten are on the rise. Also, Nerlens Noel has yet to play a game in a Sixers uniform after missing his rookie season to ACL recovery. With a healthy Noel, MCW, and a plethora of draft picks to come, the Sixers are on their way to building a competitive franchise.

ON THE HOT SEAT

Brian Shaw – Denver Nuggets

When Shaw took the Nuggets’ head coaching position, he wanted to move away from George Karl’s high-octane, fast-paced style and employ a more structured, methodical pace. This transition caused problems for the Nuggets, who struggled to adjust. Shaw’s contrasting philosophies also caused Andre Miller to leave the team and ultimately be traded to the Washington Wizards. A team that nabbed the third seed in the West last year, the Nuggets finished 36-46 and 10th place in the West. The Nuggets struggled with a handful of injuries (Danilo Galliari, Nate Robinson, JaVale McGee), but with a healthy roster next season, the pressure will be on Shaw to bring Denver back to the playoffs. Otherwise, he may be looking for work elsewhere.

Monty Williams – New Orleans Pelicans

The Pelicans (34-48) are in an awkward position. Will Tyreke Evans ever find his role within the offense? Will Ryan Anderson return 100 percent from his back injury? These are questions Williams needs to figure out ASAP. Anthony Davis is a superstar in the making, but the Pelicans have yet to surround him with formidable talent to compete in the West. Williams may be at a disadvantage due to, in my opinion, questionable front office decisions, but the blame for poor performance, as we all know, falls on the head coach. The Pelicans finished 25th in defensive efficiency (107.3) and their offense struggled to remain consistent. If the Pelicans fail to find continuity next season, Williams’ time in New Orleans may come to a close.

Mike Malone – Sacramento Kings

The Kings (28-54) made a series of interesting moves this season. After acquiring Derrick Williams from the Timberwolves, the team traded for Rudy Gay and unloaded many of their veteran role players. These moves demonstrated that under new ownership led by Vivek Ranadive, the Kings’ desire is to win now rather than later. Despite the acquisitions, the Kings may be putting together the wrong puzzle. The Kings ranked just 19th in offensive efficiency (102.9) and 23rd in defensive efficiency (106.3). Also, Malone voiced his frustration with the players multiple times. Altogether, this team failed to blend together and perform efficiently as a unit. If the Kings suffer another horrendous season, their win-now attitude may force yet another coaching change.

GONE

Mike Brown – Cleveland Cavaliers

This franchise has turned into an absolute disaster. Kyrie Irving may want out of Cleveland, Dion Waiters clashed with teammates, Andrew Bynum forced himself out and later criticizing the Cavs’ daily operations, and Luol Deng, who was acquired before the trade deadline in a last-ditch effort to save the season, shared similar sentiments as Bynum. GM Chris Grant was fired halfway through, and the Cavs (33-49) have found themselves in the lottery for the fourth consecutive season. Dan Gilbert is out of patience and Brown should be ready to pack his bags. He failed to lead Cleveland to a title when LeBron James was in town and he failed once again in his second tenure with the team.

Larry Drew – Milwaukee Bucks

After grabbing the eighth seed in the East last year, the Bucks made a number of moves to replace Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings. The Bucks brought in O.J. Mayo, Gary Neal, Caron Butler, Carlos Delfino, Brandon Knight, and Zaza Pachulia in an effort to stock up and make another playoff run. Needless to say, those dreams were crushed instantly. The Bucks finished 29th in defensive efficiency (108.9), 26th in offensive efficiency (100.2), and finished with the league’s worst record (15-67). The Bucks had many internal issues as well. Neal and franchise player Larry Sanders didn’t get along and Sanders, who signed a $44 million extension in the offseason, had issues staying healthy and conducting himself off the court, even hurting his thumb in a bar brawl. Delfino never played a single game due to injury and Butler, Neal, and Luke Ridnour were ultimately dealt at the deadline. Now under new ownership, it looks as if Drew’s time in Milwaukee is up. Drew, who previously led the Atlanta Hawks to consecutive playoff appearances, was never able to take hold. The Bucks are now in rebuilding mode, and with a new ownership in place, a new head coach will almost certainly be imminent.