One Coach Down… Who’s Next? The NBA’s Hottest Coaching Seats

The Milwaukee Bucks made their move.

Doc Rivers is out.

But let’s be honest… he won’t be the last.

Every year, teams convince themselves a coaching change will fix everything. And every year, we see the same cycle repeat.

So now the question isn’t if another coach is next.

It’s who—and how soon.

#1 – Brian Keefe (Washington Wizards)

Rebuilds are supposed to buy time.

But they don’t buy unlimited time.

The Wizards are losing—which is expected. What’s not clear is the direction. Where’s the identity? Where’s the development?

If young players aren’t improving and the team still looks lost, the rebuild stops feeling like a plan… and starts feeling like an excuse.

My take:
Even bad teams need progress. If you can’t see it, patience disappears quickly.

#2 – Tuomas Iisalo (Memphis Grizzlies)

This isn’t a rebuild. This is supposed to be a contender.

The Grizzlies have dealt with adversity, but expectations don’t go away—they just get delayed.

At some point, this team has to look like a playoff threat again. Not flashes. Not excuses. Results.

My take:
This is a “prove it now” situation. If they don’t bounce back, the pressure turns fast.

#3 – Jordi Fernandez (Brooklyn Nets)

The Nets are stuck in the worst place you can be in the NBA:

Not bad enough to rebuild.
Not good enough to compete.

That middle ground gets coaches fired.

If this team doesn’t choose a direction soon, someone’s going to take the fall—and it’s rarely the front office.

My take:
This isn’t entirely on the coach… but that won’t matter if nothing changes.

#4 – Jason Kidd (Dallas Mavericks)

This situation just got real.

The Mavericks moved on from Luka Dončić—which means there are no more safety nets.

When you trade a superstar, you’re making a statement:

“We know what we’re doing.”

Now that plan has to show up on the court.

If this team looks disorganized, directionless, or stuck?

That spotlight gets very bright, very fast.

My take:
You don’t trade a franchise player and then struggle. If this goes sideways, the coach becomes the first target.

#5 – Billy Donovan (Chicago Bulls)

This one feels inevitable.

The Bulls have been in the same spot for years—hovering around relevance but never actually getting anywhere.

At some point, “stuck” becomes unacceptable.

And when that happens?

The coach is usually the first move.

My take:
This isn’t just on him… but he’s the easiest change to make.

The Bigger Problem

Here’s the truth:

Firing coaches isn’t fixing these teams.

It’s just delaying the real decisions.

Bad roster construction.
No long-term vision.
Teams stuck in the middle.

A new coach doesn’t solve that.

At some point…

The accountability has to move up.

Final Take

Doc Rivers was the first domino.

He won’t be the last.

Because in today’s NBA, when things go wrong, coaches are still the easiest scapegoat.

And right now?

There are at least five more seats heating up.