Whenever a team starts looking towards the future, the head coach has to be one of the first things that is examined.
Yes, the players are the ones on the floor night in and night out, but the head coaching position is always imperative for a team to succeed.
A head coach's impact can do anything from taking a team that failed to make the postseason the year before, to making a huge turnaround record wise.
However, if a coach fails to reach the requirements of the owner/GM, then he could potentially shown the door.
So, what coaching jobs could potentially be in jeopardy at the end of the season?
A few come to mind:
Charlotte Bobcats (29-48)
Head Coach: Sam Vincent (1st season)
Possible Replacement(s): Larry Brown
The Charlotte Bobcats are a young up-and-coming team in the Eastern Conference, but they had another disappointing season which might give them another lottery pick the draft.
Though this is his first year as the Bobcats head coach, recent rumors about Larry Brown possibly returning to the coaching pool could put Vincent's job in jeopardy.
Part-owner Michael Jordan hasn't commented on the situation and has remained silent about it.
But if Brown were interested in coaching the Cats, then I can almost guarantee you Vincent would be let go after just one season.
Jordan may have been silent about the situation—but Vincent has not.
Vincent has made a case for himself as to why he should return next season.
In a story from the Associated Press, Vincent has shown that he isn't shy about speaking up.
"Give me a break. Was I really supposed to come in the first year and have 50 wins?"
"Maybe if I was coaching the Celtics team this year. But I just think that some things have to be kept in perspective."
In all fairness he does deserve another shot with this team, but only time will tell.
Chicago Bulls (30-46)
Head Coach: Jim Boylen (Interim)
Possible Replacement(s): Rick Carlisle
As disappointing as the Miami heat have been this season, the Chicago Bulls have been one of the more dismal teams in the Eastern Conference as well.
After a bad start to the season, head coach Scott Skiles was fired and Jim Boylen was named interim coach for the remainder of the season.
The Bulls haven't been buying into the coaching system all season, so don't be surprised if Boylan is fired immediately after the season ends.
Larry Brown's name has came up in this job as well—but Rick Carlisle would be a great fit for this team as well.
New York Knicks (20-56)
Head Coach: Isiah Thomas (2nd season)
Possible Replacement(s): Who knows?
There is a new era beginning in New York with new president Donnie Walsh now running the show.
Some were expecting Walsh to come out and make his first move by firing Thomas, but he has said he is undecided for the time being.
On the brink of a 60 loss season, Thomas is most likely the one coach that will be worried the most about being shown the door at the end of the season.
Memphis Grizzlies (20-56)
Head Coach: Marc Iavaroni (1st season)
Possible Replacement(s): Larry Brown, Rick Carlisle
Marc Iavaroni was one of the hottest candidates for a head coaching position during the offseason last year.
But his first season in Memphis has awful.
It also probably didn't help that the Grizzlies traded Pau Gasol to the Lakers for Kwame Brown and Javaris Crittenton.
It's pretty funny how Larry Brown's name has popped up for pretty much every team listed above.
If in fact Iavaroni is shown the door this offseason, then Brown wouldn't be bad as a replacement.
But the question is: if Brown does return to coaching next season, how long will he coach?
Brown is 68-years-old with health issues, and who knows how long he will commit to a team?
Michael Whittenberg is a senior writer and NBA Community Leader at BleacherReport.com
18 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment
Paul Gotham about 1 year ago
Certainly sounds like Larry Brown will be back in the NBA next year. That is a good thing. He can only make the league better by developing another competitive team. I would like to see him land in the East. That conference needs some help.
Scott Skiles deserves another chance some where. We are finding out he was not the problem in the 'Windy City.'
On the topic of the Bulls - Tyrus Thomas should be the poster boy for why these kids need to stay in college a little longer and gain some maturity. Sounds like he is incapable of handling himself in the company of adults.
Does anyone know of an island that we can ship Isaih to for a couple of years. Something has gone miserably wrong with that guy. He needs to take a step back - reasess and figure out what he wants to do.
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Erick Blasco about 1 year ago
i think Vincent is the worst coach in the league because of the cheap shots he's taken towards his players in the media and the excuses he comes up wit as evidenced by the quote in your story. The Bobcats used to play hard night in and night out. They used to expect that they would beat the best teams in the league. Of course they rarely did so because their talent base is so limited, but they always competed the right way.
This season, everything has gone backwards and they don't play hard. And there's Vincent with his excuses. Of course the Bobcats don't play hard every night, Vincent doesn't think the team is any good! How can you get up to play for that kind of coach!
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Michael Whittenberg about 1 year ago
You're definitely right about that.
I hope we get Larry Brown. Not only will they buy into him, but they will be more defensive minded.
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Tim Seeman about 1 year ago
You forgot about Larry Krystkowiak for the Milwaukee Bucks, but I'll give you the pass; I usually forget about the Bucks too, and I live in Milwaukee...
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Erick Blasco about 1 year ago
I don't think Larry k has the players to succeed. All they want to do is score one-on-one and I know Larry K had to abandon the triangle because his players never want to cut hard when they don't have the ball or run any complicated offensive plays.
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Michael Whittenberg about 1 year ago
Exactly. I didn't forget about him one bit, but Erick is right.
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Tim Seeman about 1 year ago
Everything about the Bucks is wrong. Bill Simmons on ESPN has highlighted everything the franchise has done wrong since 2001, and his solution is for owner/Senator Herb Kohl to hire him as general manager. Funny thing is, it'd work.
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Ben Gunby about 1 year ago
Mike Woodson?
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Erick Blasco about 1 year ago
Woodson's taking a bunch of kids to the playoffs with no fanbase and minimal support from his higher ups. Woodson isn't a great coach in my opinion, but what were the Hawks expectations coming into this season? The man has earned himself another year to see if he can build upon this year's success.
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Erick Blasco about 1 year ago
Michael is right on with these four and for not listing the ones he hasn't listed.
I wonder Mike, what's your take on Dunleavy in Los Angeles? I know Brand's been out but the Clippers have really disappointed this year.
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Michael Whittenberg about 1 year ago
I think Dunleavy is a pretty good coach. But I would like to see him coaching another team because the Clippers are terrible.
If Brand re-signs with the Clippers, which most likely he will, then I think the Clippers can do better than this year.
However, the west is so loaded so I can only see them as a ninth seed...maybe.
Al Thornton is up-and-coming, too, and hopefully Shaun Livingston can play next season.
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Michael Whittenberg about 1 year ago
I think Dunleavy is a pretty good coach. But I would like to see him coaching another team because the Clippers are terrible.
If Brand re-signs with the Clippers, which most likely he will, then I think the Clippers can do better than this year.
However, the west is so loaded so I can only see them as a ninth seed...maybe.
Al Thornton is up-and-coming, too, and hopefully Shaun Livingston can play next season.
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Michael Whittenberg about 1 year ago
I think Dunleavy is a pretty good coach. But I would like to see him coaching another team because the Clippers are terrible.
If Brand re-signs with the Clippers, which most likely he will, then I think the Clippers can do better than this year.
However, the west is so loaded so I can only see them as a ninth seed...maybe.
Al Thornton is up-and-coming, too, and hopefully Shaun Livingston can play next season.
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Michael Whittenberg about 1 year ago
I think Dunleavy is a pretty good coach. But I would like to see him coaching another team because the Clippers are terrible.
If Brand re-signs with the Clippers, which most likely he will, then I think the Clippers can do better than this year.
However, the west is so loaded so I can only see them as a ninth seed...maybe.
Al Thornton is up-and-coming, too, and hopefully Shaun Livingston can play next season.
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Erick Blasco about 1 year ago
lol, don't you absolutely love those quadrupal posts?
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Patrick Gallen about 1 year ago
There's no way Iavaroni should be shown the door. With the team he has been given, he needs some time to work with them. They are loaded with young talent, but the front office hasnt exactly helped them take the next step (Darko, Kwame, etc.). But guys like Conley, Lowry, Navarro...they have some pieces. Maybe the next step should be to move out of Memphis. Nobody cares there.
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Ben Gunby about 1 year ago
Actually Erick the expectations coming into this season were the playoffs. If you watched this team night in and night out you'd know why he needs to be canned. It's a HORRIBLY coached team. He isn't a good motivator, nor is he a good game coach. We're going to be the 7th or 8th seed in the East, whoopty friggin doo. Great accomplishment that is. Coaches in the NBA who have had far, far, FAR more success have been fired.
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Mike Owens about 1 year ago
A coach I think that should be on there is Avery Johnson. Call me crazy here, but I think if he doesn't win it all this year, Cuban will show him the door. How can you go from 67 wins to barely squeaking in to the playoffs? Beyond that, his style does not fit with Kidd's at all. If he doesn't get the title, I truly think he's gone.
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