NBA’s Best Available Coaching Candidates
Who are the best coaching candidates to fill the five NBA head coaching vacancies? Here are a few that could be walking the sideline next season.
There are five vacant head coaching positions in the NBA. Perhaps there will be several more before the playoffs are over.
Terry Stotts led the Portland Trail Blazers to the second round of the NBA Playoffs and oversaw an admirable fight against the defending champion Golden State Warriors. Stotts is without a contract for the upcoming 2016-17 season, but according to ESPN’s Kevin Arnovitz the two sides are talking about an extension.
Gregg Popovich is the longest-tenured coach in the NBA, but could he retire if his big three of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker decide to walk away from the San Antonio Spurs? Not according to an interview he did with ESPN’s Sage Steele. Part of the deal in signing LaMarcus Aldridge was a promise to continue coaching, and it’s one that he wants to fulfill.
For now, there are five remaining head coaching vacancies. If the two prior become open, which seems unlikely, it could make for an even more interesting coaching carousel than what the NBA has already seen this offseason.
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With Tom Thibodeau signing with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Scott Brooks with the Washington Wizards and Luke Walton with the Los Angeles Lakers, who is left? The coaching pool is deeper than it has been in recent years.
The Memphis Grizzlies are searching for a new head coach after firing the highly successful Dave Joerger. Scott Skiles‘ surprise resignation from the Orlando Magic leaves them in search for a new head coach.
Larry Bird‘s decision to let Frank Vogel’s contract expire leaves Bird in search for the Indiana Pacers next head coach. Meanwhile the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets fired their head coaches during the regular season and the best we can tell they have yet to make substantial ground in their coaching searches.
Who will be walking the NBA sidelines next season as head coach of these five teams? Here are a few choices.
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