5 NBA Teams That Need a Coaching Change

It has not been a good year to be an NBA head coach. First, the Los Angles Lakers fired Mike Brown. Then, the Brooklyn Nets showed Avery Johnson the door. Scott Skiles was then let go by the Milwaukee Bucks, followed by Alvin Gentry of the Phoenix Suns.

At least two of those teams benefited by letting their coach go. Who will follow in their footsteps and make a coaching change?

Here are the five teams that are the most likely to have a new coach by the start of next season.

Sacramento Kings

By next season the Sacramento Kings just might be in a new city, have a new team name and most likely have a new head coach.

We can't be entirely sure how Keith Smart ranks as a head coach because he has been straddled with terrible luck.

Despite improving the Golden State Warriors' win total by 10 games while suffering through injuries and having to deal with a Monta Ellis/Stephen Curry backcourt, Smart was relieved of his duties after just one year.

Then he lands the same job with the Sacramento Kings. Unfortunately, they own the most dysfunctional roster that the NBA may have ever seen. He never really had a chance to succeed, nor could any coach in the same situation. 

His luck doesn't appear to be changing anytime soon. With new owners coming in, big changes are coming. Consider Smart's exile to be a blip on the radar of changes facing this franchise.

Philadelphia 76ers

How do you know when it's time to fire your head coach?

Probably after he rips your entire franchise to shreds in a press conference. 

If Bynum doesn't return, don't expect Collins to be a part of that plan.

Detroit Pistons

It's one thing to have your team lose games with an underwhelming roster, it's a whole other thing to have them play without passion or effort.

That's exactly the problem with the Detroit Pistons right now. Bad losses paired with a low level of interest. Head coach Lawrence Frank did take over a team that was rebuilding, but he hasn't done much with his roster. The team's effort is just not there. They are not responding to him and it shows.

Other than that, why was Andre Drummond not getting more minutes than the 19:41 he was averaging?

I understand bringing someone along slowly, but this was a player that owned a 22.35 PER on a losing team! What not let him play? 

With GM Joe Dumars job very much in jeopardy, Frank is in the same boat. Expect the Pistons to find the right man who can make the Greg Monroe/Drummond dynamic work.

Toronto Raptors

Bryan Colangelo made a big splash in efforts to save his job by acquiring Rudy Gay from the Memphis Grizzlies.

The early returns were great. The Raptors went 6-2 in their first eight games with Gay and were making a semi-push for the playoffs; a spot they thought they should be in after trading away their first round pick (top three and 15-20 protected) for Kyle Lowry.

However, after the hot start they lost six of their next eight games and found themselves 7.5 games out of the final playoff spot. Now, as it appears better for them to lose games from this point forward, head coach Dwane Casey doesn't have much of a chance to succeed.

With Colangelo in the final year of his deal, the odds of his return are not good. The same goes for Casey. The talent was just not there, and after a 4-18 start to the season there was just too much to overcome.

After making the playoffs twice in the last six years, and what is likely to be seven years, it's time for a change. At the very least the Raptors have a star to build around and some nice pieces for the future, but it's a future that will likely not include Casey.

Los Angles Clippers

If Vinny Del Negro coaches his team to a loss, it's entirely his fault. If his team wins, it's in spite of him.

He can't win.

While he has done a solid, yet unspectacular job with the Los Angeles Clippers, his team does own a 44-19 record. However, Del Negro is in the final year of his contract and doesn't have a lot of supporters. 

Not a good place to be.

Now that the "other" L.A. team is an attractive job with Chris Paul likely to have a say on who the next coach is should he re-sign, big names could come calling. Regardless, they are now able to hire a proven winner to help get them to the next level.

Del Negro can save his job simply by winning, but unfortunately for him, nothing short of a Western Conference Finals appearance will help.

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