NBA Coaching Carousel: Tracking Latest Updates on Hirings and Vacancies

Nine NBA teams will enter the 2020-21 season with a new head coach. Only four of those franchises know who that coach will be.

Doc Rivers joined the Philadelphia 76ers, Billy Donovan landed with the Chicago Bulls, Tom Thibodeau signed with the New York Knicks and Steve Nash surprisingly took over the Brooklyn Nets. That leaves the Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets with vacancies.

Almost all of the openings seem linked to former Cleveland Cavaliers coach Ty Lue.

Here's a look at where the NBA coaching carousel stands heading into the weekend.

New Orleans Pelicans

The Pelicans decided to move on from Alvin Gentry after missing the 2020 postseason.

According to Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes, Lue is spending his weekend interviewing with different teams, including the Pels, and he may have his choice of landing spot soon enough.

Lue spoke with New Orleans on Friday. He's expected to talk with the Clippers on Saturday and the Rockets on Sunday.

All three of those teams should contend next year with varying levels of pressure. While the Rockets and Clippers likely expect to win titles fast, the Pelicans offer Lue the opportunity to cultivate a young core into the NBA's next superteam.

Lue would get to develop Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and Jaxson Hayes without the pressure of having to deliver a title as fast as possible.

Indiana Pacers

Mike D'Antoni's name was rumored early in the Sixers' head coaching search. Doc Rivers' availability scuttled that, which could set up nicely for the Pacers.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Thursday that Indiana and D'Antoni "bear watching" but that the club has yet to cut down its list of potential candidates.

They include former Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings coach Dave Joerger, New Orleans assistant Chris Finch and former NBA star Chauncey Billups.

Yet the true number of candidates is much larger. Wojnarowski reported in early September the club asked for permission to speak with San Antonio Spurs assistants Will Hardy and Becky Hammon, as well as Brooklyn's Jacque Vaughn and Philadelphia's Ime Udoka.

The Pacers have plenty of talent to work with as Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner remain under club control until 2024 and 2023, respectively. Victor Oladipo remains committed to Indiana despite trade rumors.

Expect the Pacers to take their time.

Houston Rockets

Lue makes plenty of sense for a Houston team with a dwindling title window.

He helped bring a championship to Cleveland in 2016 and returned to the NBA Finals each of the next two years under intense pressure as the coach of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love.

Could he do that again for a Rockets franchise that features James Harden and Russell Westbrook? That's the gamble for Houston.

Wojnarowski tweeted Friday that the club will bring in Minnesota Timberwolves associate head coach David Vanterpool for an interview. Vanterpool, 47, spent seven years as an assistant with the Portland Trail Blazers before joining the T-Wolves at the start of last season. The former wing may move up again sooner than expected.

It's unclear who else the Rockets are considering.

Los Angeles Clippers

Arguably the job with the most pressure in the NBA, the Clippers can't afford to get this hire wrong.

The franchise sent budding star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari and five first-round picks to the Oklahoma City Thunder to pair Paul George with Kawhi Leonard. Yet the two could enter free agency in 2021, giving the Clippers a definitive—and short—window to work with.

Lue, the lead assistant coach with the Clippers this year, makes sense for L.A. for the same reasons as the Rockets. He's a trusted coach who has worked in high-level situations with plenty of success.

Given the market, the talent and the expectations, there is no position with more at stake next year than the Clippers. The club has remained relatively quiet when it comes to signaling its interest in candidates other than Lue.

Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder have also stayed mum during their search for Billy Donovan's replacement, but this may be the franchise with the most flexibility moving forward. OKC will need to figure if it can win now or enter a full rebuild before determining its next hire.

Trading point guard Chris Paul remains an option with the guard set to become a free agent in 2022. Center Steven Adams and guard Dennis Schroder are scheduled to hit the open market after next season as well.

Given the plethora of draft picks and young talent—not to mention the level of competition in the Western Conference—a full rebuild could be the best course of action.

Until the team determines its path forward, speculating on coaches is nearly impossible.