1. Luke Walton
If Luke Walton wasn’t already a natural candidate for the hot seat prior to the Los Angeles Lakers‘ struggles, then their lottery-bound future has all but sealed his fate as the first coach to go once the regular season wraps up in mid-April.
In fairness, there were many issues over the course of the season that Walton had no control over. Injuries rattled nearly every inch of the roster, including the supposedly indestructible LeBron James, and the push to acquire Anthony Davis at the deadline rattled team chemistry in ways that have clearly proven to be unrepairable.
The verdict is still out as to whether or not the former player is actually a good coach, but it’s clear he is not the right man for this job. Walton was brought in to nurture a developing core nearly three years ago, but once LeBron arrived, L.A. turned all the way around to contending for a high seed in the playoff picture.
The presence of both Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka didn’t help either. Neither brought him in for the job, a situation that usually spells doom for those on the lower end of the food chain, which in this scenario, is Luke Walton.
Sometimes, the NBA is a cruel business where guys aren’t put in the best positions to succeed and are criticized for their shortcomings anyway.
It’s very likely Walton would’ve been replaced with a more seasoned coach even if L.A. qualified for the playoffs, but given the Lakers’ shortcomings as one of the worst defensive teams in the league without a postseason appearance for what will be a franchise-extending record of five straight seasons, it’s obvious he doesn’t even deserve a second look.