At risk in the NBA bubble: Coaches on the hot seat

As NBA teams see their seasons end, those that did not meet expectations will make changes. Which coaches are on the hottest seats in the league?

It happens every year in the league. Teams underachieve in some way or another and decide it’s time to move on from their coach, hoping a change in voice and philosophy will get everything back on track. Whether it be money, losing or managing the locker room, coaches often find themselves causalities for reason outside of their control.

Dating back to the beginning of the regular season, five coaches have been removed from their role. J.B. Bickerstaff was promoted from within to replace John Beilein for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Tom Thibodeau has already replaced David Fizdale with the New York Knicks.

Jim Boylen and Alvin Gentry were let go by the Chicago Bulls and New Orleans Pelicans in the last few weeks respectively. They joined Kenny Atkinson in the unemployed coaching group, who was let go by the Brooklyn Nets earlier this season. Will this be the last of the coaching moves or are they just on hold until more teams are eliminated from the playoffs?

This will focus on the four coaches on the hottest seats in the league. Two are on contracts that are running out and are simply unlikely to be brought back. The other two are quickly getting crushed under the pressure of elevated expectations and the failure to meet them.