The NBA coaching market is set to have some major turnover in this year’s cycle. After starting the offseason with seven head coaching vacancies, two of those positions have now been filled.
The Boston Celtics kicked things off yesterday with the hire of former Brooklyn Nets assistant Ime Udoka to his first head coaching job. And earlier this morning, the Indiana Pacers took the more experienced route — hiring 19-year NBA head coaching veteran Rick Carlisle on a 4-year, $29 million deal.
While the Boston and Indiana jobs are now off the table, there are still five open positions around the league. Washington, Portland, New Orleans, Orlando and Dallas are all still up for grabs.
After firing former head coach Scott Brooks earlier this offseason, the Wizards have made very little public progress on their coaching search. One of the few names linked to the search so far is Nuggets assistant Wes Unseld Jr., the son of a Washington basketball legend.
Spurs assistant Becky Hammon is currently a top candidate for several of these jobs, but it seems her best opportunity lies with the Trail Blazers. Hammon has reportedly excelled in the interview process so far, making her a top choice alongside Clippers assistant Chauncey Billups.
After a one-year partnership with Stan Van Gundy, the Pelicans are reportedly set to interview Nets assistant Jacque Vaughn and Bucks assistant Charles Lee.
Several of these previously mentioned names have also been linked to the Orlando job, but the most intriguing possibility is the hiring of former Milwaukee head coach Jason Kidd.
Finally, the Mavs will search for their first new head coach in 13 years. As of right now, it looks like the top option is longtime Dallas assistant Jamahl Mosley, who’s been with the organization since 2014. Mosley stepped in as acting head coach earlier this season when Carlisle was absent due to COVID-19 protocols.
It’ll certainly be interesting to see who all of these teams end up with at the start of next season.