What is the most attractive NBA coaching job currently available?
With the Philadelphia 76ers firing coach Doc Rivers on Tuesday, two days after the Sixers lost Game 7 of their conference semifinals series against the Boston Celtics, there are now five teams searching for new coaches. Three of them -- Philadelphia, the Milwaukee Bucks and the Phoenix Suns -- were among the five teams with the best title odds entering the postseason, per Caesars Sportsbook.
That makes this a unique opportunity for prospective coaches, including those fired after the regular season, to take over an immediate championship contender. Still, not all five jobs carry equal risks.
Coaches should beware: They might not get the caliber of roster they expect. When Stephen Silas was hired to coach the Houston Rockets in 2020, star guard James Harden requested a trade shortly thereafter. Coaches would be wise to be choosy with their next destination. Let's break down the league's five available head-coaching jobs, which also include the Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors, starting with the most attractive landing spot.
1. Phoenix Suns (45-37 regular season, lost in Western Conference semifinals)
As much as the Suns' six-game loss to the Denver Nuggets in the conference semifinals exposed the team's lack of depth after trading two rotation players to the Brooklyn Nets for Kevin Durant, this is still the job that best combines championship upside with certainty of having those stars for a simple reason. Both Durant (through 2025-26) and star guard Devin Booker (through 2027-28) are under contract for the foreseeable future, and Durant recently chose Phoenix as his preferred destination via trade.
A new coach could also reasonably hope to generate more efficient looks than Durant enjoyed against Denver, when he shot 45% from the field, down from 56% in the regular season. According to ESPN Stats & Information tracking, Durant shot 39% when guarded by Nuggets stopper Aaron Gordon as compared to 50% against all other defenders. Yet, too often, the Suns were willing to simply let Durant operate 1-on-1 against Gordon rather than trying to get a more favorable matchup.
Expectations will certainly be high in Phoenix, even though Durant's age is a concern. He'll turn 35 in September, meaning the Suns have a limited window to contend with Durant still operating at a high level. I'd also want to know more about how Phoenix's basketball operations department will run under new owner Mat Ishbia, as well as the Suns' plans for potentially trading starters Deandre Ayton and Chris Paul this offseason.
In the best-case scenario, however, I could see a new coach and a strong transaction cycle having the same transformative effect Darvin Ham has had with the Los Angeles Lakers.
T-2. Milwaukee Bucks (58-24, lost in the Eastern Conference first round) / Philadelphia 76ers (54-28, lost in the Eastern Conference semifinals)
To me, the Bucks' and Sixers' openings are broadly similar, starting with questions coming up in free agency. Both James Harden and Khris Middleton are unrestricted free agents this summer, and both have been linked with the first team to fill its coaching vacancy during this cycle, the Houston Rockets (who hired former Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka).
Because of their high payrolls, Milwaukee and Philadelphia would be hard-pressed to replace their stars in free agency. That's particularly true for the Bucks, who must also contend with the free agency of starting center Brook Lopez. The 76ers could create salary-cap space more easily by trading forward Tobias Harris entering the final season of his contract, though that would mean two holes to fill in the starting lineup.
The looming domino is how a step backward might affect the futures of stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid. Giannis can be a free agent in the summer of 2025 by declining a player option, while Embiid has an additional year left on his contract before a player option in the summer of 2026. Both players will likely maximize their earnings by extending or re-signing with their current teams, but might ask out in pursuit of a better chance to win a title.
Of the two scenarios, I'd slightly favor Milwaukee because we've seen the Bucks' championship upside under former coach Mike Budenholzer. By contrast, Philadelphia has always been a half-step short of the league's inner circle of contenders. At the same time, the Bucks probably have more downside because they have gone deep into the luxury tax in recent years, tapping out organizational resources. The Sixers would have a better chance of remaining competitive without Embiid.
Coaches taking either of these jobs have to be uber-confident in their abilities to win enough now to convince Antetokounmpo and Embiid to stick around long-term.
4. Detroit Pistons (17-65)
With 2021 No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham as well as two members of this year's All-Rookie second team (Jalen Duren and Jaden Ivey), the Pistons are not without talent. Add in another lottery pick and Detroit has the makings of a young core that can help the team win a playoff series for the first time since losing in the 2008 Eastern Conference finals.
Still, I'd be wary of this opportunity because of the pressure on general manager Troy Weaver to show continued progress. Three years into Weaver's tenure in the Motor City, the Pistons posted their second worst record in 75 seasons of existence. Another season in the lottery could mean turnover at the top, and a new decision-maker would not be invested in a coach he inherited.
5. Toronto Raptors (41-41)
First, the positives: Toronto boasts perhaps the NBA's most acclaimed executive in team president Masai Ujiri, who built a championship team just four years ago with the bold trade for Kawhi Leonard. Ujiri then kept the Raptors in the playoffs after Leonard's departure thanks to savvy drafting and a strong culture of player development.
Despite that, it's hard to feel optimistic about Toronto's short-term future after a home loss in a loser-out game during the play-in tournament. Guards Gary Trent Jr. and Fred VanVleet can both become unrestricted free agents this offseason by declining player options, while forwards O.G. Anunoby and Pascal Siakam are both potentially headed into the last year of their contracts.
If the Raptors had repeated their 48-win 2021-22 performance, it might be more realistic to bring everyone back on new contracts and count on 2021-22 Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes to supply the upside necessary to get Toronto back in championship contention. After a .500 finish, however, some sort of rebuilding period seems more likely.
As a result, whoever takes the Raptors' job might need a heavy dose of patience.