The Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Pelicans, Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, and Indiana Pacers are all looking for a new head coach. Who are the perfect coaches to fill these NBA job openings?
Let's take a look.
Indiana Pacers: Dave Joerger
The Pacers fired Nate McMillan for a lack of playoff success (the Pacers have been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in each of the last five seasons, four of which were under McMillan's watch), but there's no clear answer to these shortcomings. Therefore, they should get creative and hire Dave Joerger.
Joerger coached a Memphis Grizzlies team in its prime from 2013-16. They never made it past the second round of the playoffs, but after that, Joerger remade his image in Sacramento from 2016-19.
The Kings' young core, headlined by De'Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield, made collective strides with Joerger at the helm. In search of something different, the Kings dismissed Joerger after a 39-win season, the most wins in franchise history since the 2005-06 NBA season. Regardless of Sacramento's reasoning, Joerger was widely viewed as getting a raw deal.
Even if they trade Victor Oladipo this offseason, a roster headlined by Malcolm Brogdon, Domantas Sabonis, T.J. Warren, Myles Turner, and their return on Oladipo makes for a competitive roster that should compete in the Eastern Conference. Joerger has experience coaching contenders and rebuilding teams. He can put it all together with a hungry organization.
New Orleans Pelicans: Ime Udoka
Moving on from Alvin Gentry, the Pelicans clearly want something different, and Udoka fits the bill.
Udoka, an assistant for the Sixers this season, was an assistant for the San Antonio Spurs from 2012-19 and is being considered for multiple head coaching positions. New Orleans is likely looking for a young coach on the rise who can get the most out of its young players.
While the Western Conference is stockpiled with powerhouse teams, the Pelicans have a lot of players to be enthused by, including Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, and Jaxson Hayes. Perhaps Udoka brings a different perspective on how to make these players more impactful to the table. Maybe he utilizes crafty rotations to get these players on the floor at the end of games, a central discussion with the Pelicans since the NBA bubble opened.
A first-time head coach can grow with a young roster, building a sustainable rapport. Given the depth in the West, it's imperative that the front office, coaching staff, and players be on the same page to make the playoff jump.
Philadelphia 76ers: Tyronn Lue
The Sixers are looking to finally get past the second round with Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, and Tyronn Lue could move the needle.
The setting is tense, and the future is uncertain in Philly. This calls for a coach who has overcome adversity and/or is looking to prove himself. Lue coached the 2016 NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers and saw his roster return to the NBA Finals the ensuing two seasons. After LeBron James left in the summer of 2018, the Cavs began the season 0-6 and fired Lue.
Lue wasn't viewed as the long-term answer for a rebuilding Cavs team, and he drew criticism beforehand, which inevitably comes with coaching James; he needs something in the middle. Embiid and Simmons is a great starting point for any coach. The Sixers have to get the most out of their stars and complement them with more perimeter scoring.
This would be Lue's reclamation project. The Cavs were a mess in 2018, ranging from heated, accusatory team meetings to a midseason roster shuffle, and they somehow made the NBA Finals with a team devoid of prominent scorers besides James. Lue can tweak the Sixers' offense to get his stars the ball in their hotspots and attempt to take another team to the Finals.
Brooklyn Nets: Mike Brown
Anyone who inherits a team spearheaded by Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving needs to be adept at coaching big personalities. Enter Mike Brown.
The Golden State Warriors assistant has experience coaching a handful of high-profile players. Brown took over for head coach Steve Kerr, who was dealing with back pain, in the 2017 NBA Playoffs, coaching the Warriors to a 12-0 record. That team had Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green.
Brown patrolled the sidelines for the Cavs from 2005-10, where he coached a young LeBron James, as well as some reputable players like Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Larry Hughes, and Mo Williams; one could argue they overachieved in some of those seasons. Brown also coached the Los Angeles Lakers for 71 games (2011-12), where he coached Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. Brown has 19 seasons of NBA coaching experience under his belt.
You have to be able to weather the storm with star players, and Brown is an NBA lifer. The Nets would be his chance at redemption, as he has been removed from coaching positions due to late-season disappointments. A roster with Durant, Irving, Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, and Spencer Dinwiddie is another contender for Brown to toy with.
Chicago Bulls: Kenny Atkinson
Zach LaVine, Lauri Markkanen, Coby White, Wendell Carter Jr., and the fourth pick in the upcoming NBA Draft will make for a multi-dimensional Bulls roster. What does it need? Someone who can develop it, and that individual is Kenny Atkinson.
Atkinson did a superb job in Brooklyn progressing young players. D'Angelo Russell broke out under his watch, while LeVert and Allen gradually improved. Meanwhile, Atkinson's coaching staff helped right the careers of veterans such as Dinwiddie and Joe Harris, getting them to buy into their system.
This is a team oozing with young talent. It's a combination of productive young players and some trying to get their careers on track. Chicago began its rebuild on a dime in 2017 and has been unstable on the sidelines since; they should be competing for the playoffs next season.
The Bulls were respectable defensively this season. Offensively, they need to build more cohesion. That entails more decisive passing and being more productive from a scoring standpoint. It comes down to player development, and Atkinson can deliver in that regard.
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