Ranking the NBA's New Coach Hirings This Offseason
It's been a dizzying spring aboard the NBA's coaching carousel, and the ride hasn't even stopped yet.
Eight different teams are moving forward with a new coach, and another extended a permanent position to its interim skipper. There are still two vacancies (in Memphis and Houston) that haven't been filled yet.
The batch of new coaches runs the gamut from assistants getting their first crack at the head job to those with years of experience. The challenges in front of these coaches are just as varied, with some facing the demand for instant production and others having more time to establish their system and develop young players.
No single grade scale can be used to assess all the hires, because the positions and the people assigned to them are so different. But every job has an area of need, and every coach has provided some type of evidence on how they'll handle that task.
What follows is a lowest-to-highest look at my confidence level in each coach's ability to handle his new gig.
9. Earl Watson, Phoenix Suns
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Earl Watson had 33 games to leave a lasting impression on the Phoenix Suns after stepping in as interim head coach to replace the deposed Jeff Hornacek.
Watson's team lost 24 of those 33 contests, but the 36-year-old still impressed enough to ditch the interim tag and score a three-year deal as the Suns head coach. He clearly wasn't graded by the club's overall performance, rather earning his high marks for improving morale and taking control of the locker room.
"I think at one point in the season, we had the mindset where we were accepting losing," said Devin Booker, per Suns.com's Matt Petersen. "Once Coach Earl took over, we didn't accept losing anymore. ... Even when we were down 15 or 20 late, we fought back to almost win a lot of games."
That sounds like the beginning of a culture change, which the Suns desperately need. But Watson's evaluation scale is changing rapidly. Almost winning games won't cut it with the Suns trapped in a franchise-worst six-year playoff drought. With more than $39 million owed to Eric Bledsoe, Tyson Chandler and Brandon Knight alone next season, there should be expectations for immediate improvement.
That's not to say Watson is incapable of overseeing a turnaround. But he's working a different gig than he did this past season, so he remains unproven in this capacity.
8. Nate McMillan, Indiana Pacers
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The Indiana Pacers had the hoops world scratching its head after opting against renewing Frank Vogel's contract. Even now that the position has since been filled by Nate McMillan, there's still a considerable amount of confusion here.
Team president Larry Bird seemed to paint a clear picture when explaining his decision to move on from Vogel.
"It's necessary for these guys to hear a new voice," Bird said, via Pacers.com. Indiana's speed and style were also apparently issues, as the executive said he'd "like to score more points than what we're scoring."
Those concerns are fine, and Bird is free to covet whatever he chooses. But McMillan is a peculiar choice for those specific areas.
He's a different voice, but not at all a new one, having served as Vogel's top assistant the past three seasons. While McMillan has overseen some highly efficient attacks before (with the Seattle Sonics and Portland Trail Blazers), his teams have almost always finished at or near the bottom of the NBA in pace. McMillan's methodical ways helped him build a 478-452 record, but Vogel has won at an even higher clip.
Bird knows what he wants and seems to think McMillan has it. But this one's puzzling from the outside.
7. Kenny Atkinson, Brooklyn Nets
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The Brooklyn Nets' pursuit of instant gratification ultimately cost them both present and future assets. They're finally taking the long view with their rebuilding process, affixing the franchise to a pair of up-and-comers in new general manager Sean Marks and first-year head coach Kenny Atkinson.
There's so much to like about the Atkinson addition, even with the admission that he's still somewhat of a mystery having never previously held this position. His coaching background has some fascinating roots, as he's had experience with the systems of Mike D'Antoni and Mike Budenholzer, who molded his own methods during a decade-plus as Gregg Popovich's right-hand man.
"He'll be a good coach," D'Antoni said of Atkinson, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post. "He's very knowledgeable, a good teacher. … He has a wealth of knowledge, can teach and get along with people really well."
Atkinson's rave reviews in player development should be a pivotal piece of Brooklyn's rebuilding puzzle. Unless the Nets strike it rich in free agency, they'll need to expand their talent base internally. And they'll have to do that with little to no help coming from the draft, as Brooklyn won't have a first-round pick in two of the next three talent grabs.
According to ESPN.com’s Ohm Youngmisuk, Atkinson also has a “contagious energy” that Hawks players recognized during his time in Atlanta. That should help spark the locker room, and his offensive know-how should balance Brooklyn’s attack.
He'll still need players to carry out his vision, but this is an overdue step in the right direction.
6. Luke Walton, Los Angeles Lakers
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If the Los Angeles Lakers put a narrow lens on their hiring of Luke Walton, it could bear a striking resemblance to a boom-or-bust decision. He's all of 36 years old, has just this season and last on his NBA coaching resume and has perhaps been enhanced by the world-class talent at his disposal.
He might look way over his head at the start of the 2016-17 campaign, especially if the Lakers fail to add a difference-making free agent. But that wouldn't break this move for L.A. According to Bleacher Report's Michael Pina, the Lakers feel they've attached themselves to a rapidly rising coaching star, and they're in no rush to reap the rewards of that investment.
"This hire isn't about next year's win total," Pina wrote. "It's about re-establishing the Lakers as a perennial, respectable powerhouse. The way they see it, Walton is the first step toward much greater things."
A basketball lifer and California native, Walton is the type of relatable coach who can instantly connect with young players. Considering the super-sized roles D'Angelo Russell and Julius Randle will play in L.A., finding a coach who can cultivate their growth was the Lakers' first priority.
But more than his personality, it's Walton's basketball mind that makes him such an intriguing addition. The ball and body movement that spark the Golden State Warriors could help the young Lakers form their own identity. Granted, Walton still needs to develop his own as a coach, but the Lakers look smart for wanting him to do it on their watch.
5. Jeff Hornacek, New York Knicks
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Jeff Hornacek hasn't officially been named the New York Knicks' coach yet, but he's already close enough to the position to earn his most important endorsement—from the Empire State's lone All-Star, Carmelo Anthony.
"Everybody knows he likes to play an uptempo pace of game, likes to get out in transition, likes to speed the game up a lot," Anthony told NBC's Bruce Beck, via Newsday's Al Iannazzone. "So from that standpoint, I'll definitely be looking forward to that."
All Knicks fans should feel the same. This could be Phil Jackson's Age of Enlightenment.
The gig didn't go to Kurt Rambis, their interim skipper who fully subscribed to the geometric philosophies of close friend and team president Jackson. Rather, the hiring of Hornacek could signal a new train of thought: that pace and space belong in every modern offense and that freshman phenom Kristaps Porzingis should spend more time on the perimeter than the post.
Hornacek will inherit a bigger, slower roster than the one he had with the Phoenix Suns, so his offense may not look entirely the same. And it's unclear how he'll try to solve the Knicks' many defensive issues. But a simple move to a quicker, spread-out system could do wonders for Porzingis, and anything that helps the 7'3" unicorn could prove invaluable to this franchise.
4. Scott Brooks, Washington Wizards
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Few coaches hit the open market with a resume like Scott Brooks'. His career .620 winning percentage, tallied over six-plus seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder, ranks eighth among NBA coaches with at least 500 career games.
OKC grew from afterthought to contender under his watch, and Brooks helped foster the superstar surges of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. With the Washington Wizards hoarding young talent like John Wall, (restricted free agent) Bradley Beal and Otto Porter, it's clear what they hope Brooks can accomplish (without digging into the Durant-to-D.C. narrative).
But how much of the Thunder's rise was tied to Brooks' influence? And how much of his success came from being in the right place at the right time? Clearly, he can coach, but is he an elite skipper? The Wizards will find out sooner than later.
"It's hard to imagine Brooks being a disaster unless something crazy happens to the roster," wrote Jerry Brewer of the Washington Post. "... Still, there’s the question of whether this will go down as a great hire. ... Despite all the winning Brooks did with the Thunder, there was always a sense that Oklahoma City could function a little better."
Brooks, the 2009-10 Coach of the Year, should help rehabilitate a Wizards defense that fell from fifth to 14th in efficiency this past season. But what impact will he have on Washington's 19th-rated offense? The Wizards can't afford to get as iso-heavy as Brooks' Thunder teams did, but a balanced attack coupled with a fortified defense could help Washington race back up the Eastern Conference standings.
3. Dave Joerger, Sacramento Kings
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What were the odds of the Sacramento Kings landing a coveted coach? Too astronomical, surely, for even high rollers to place a wager.
The position was, in the words of The Vertical's Chris Mannix, "radioactive." The Kings had come to define dysfunction in the NBA, having burned through five different coaches since the start of 2011-12. But somehow, Sacramento might have stumbled into a keeper with Dave Joerger.
The 42-year-old was a surprising addition to the market. Over three seasons at the Memphis Grizzlies' helm, Joerger delivered a .598 winning percentage and three playoff berths. His teams, often derailed by injuries, always played hard, smart and tough.
"Joerger can coach," wrote ESPN.com's Zach Lowe. "He is an X's-and-O's wiz who can rattle off the play calls of every team with zero notice. He draws up a nice out-of-timeout set. He can go adjustment-for-adjustment with almost anyone."
The Kings have more talent than their 33-49 record suggests, but it's unclear if all the pieces fit together. And their franchise talent, All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins, has yet to prove himself as a leader. If Joerger can find the solution to those problems, he could bring Sacramento's decade-long playoff drought to an end.
2. Frank Vogel, Orlando Magic
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Scott Skiles forced the Orlando Magic to hold an unplanned coaching search. Frank Vogel afforded them the opportunity to upgrade in the process.
Once Skiles vacated his post, Orlando general manager Rob Hennigan laid out his visions for the successor. While the plans didn't name Vogel directly, the descriptions fit him perfectly.
"What we're looking for is someone who puts an emphasis on the defensive end of the floor, someone who puts an emphasis on player development and also someone who puts an emphasis on building lasting connections with the players on our roster," Hennigan said, per ESPN.com.
The names of better defensive coaches than Vogel can be counted on one hand without using all five fingers. Indiana made a focused effort to give its roster an offensive slant, and Vogel still had the Pacers third in defensive efficiency this year. His player development credits include Paul George and Roy Hibbert's All-Star ascents and Myles Turner's All-Rookie debut.
As for the lasting relationships, just look at how current and former Pacers reacted to Vogel's departure.
This is exactly the type of coach a young, athletic, talented Orlando roster needs. The Magic are brimming with budding defensive stars, and there's a wealth of offensive potential for Vogel to unearth. It's hard to imagine this offseason produced a better hire, but his track record, influence and resources are all a half-step behind the No. 1 coach.
1. Tom Thibodeau, Minnesota Timberwolves
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No one had a brighter future to sell this summer than the Minnesota Timberwolves. And no one snagged a better head coach than Minnesota's new skipper/president of basketball operations Tom Thibodeau.
His resume is impeccable. He's never had a losing season and orchestrated more campaigns in the Windy City with a winning percentage above .600 (three) than below (two). He routinely led one of the NBA's most ferocious defenses and helped the likes of Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah and Jimmy Butler join the league's elites.
It's almost frightening to imagine what Thibodeau will do with all of Minnesota's young talent.
The roster he'll inherit features the past two Rookie of the Year winners: Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns. There's a passing savant in Ricky Rubio and possibly the league's most exciting athlete in two-time defending dunk contest champion Zach LaVine. Plus, Thibodeau can handpick pieces to accentuate that young nucleus in his dual executive role.
"One way to think of it: If Thibs could make Jimmy Butler an All-Star and turn Taj Gibson into a weapon for the Bulls, what can he do with Towns and Wiggins?" wrote Sports Illustrated's Andrew Sharp. "The modern NBA is dominated by great coaches and superstars, and the T-Wolves are on track to grow with both."
This doesn't guarantee a playoff berth in the Wolves' immediate future, nor a world title down the road. But their blindingly bright future can no longer be viewed without protective lenses. Minnesota has a pair of blossoming two-way stars and quite possibly the perfect coach to help them realize their potential.
Unless otherwise noted, statistics used courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com. Salary information obtained via Basketball Insiders.
