There's no question that coaching in the NBA is a difficult job. Given the nature of the NBA's cut-throat business, even the best of basketball coaches can get fired despite the team's achievements.

Throughout the years in the NBA, only a handful of teams decided to stick with their coaches through thick and thin such as the San Antonio Spurs and Gregg Popovich. But for the most part, even the most-decorated coaches are forced to pack their bags. Let's rank the 10 most surprising coaching changes in NBA history.

10. Memphis Grizzlies let their winningest head coach Lionel Hollins walk

Lionel Hollins is the winningest coach in Memphis Grizzlies history. Furthermore, in the 2012-13 season, the Grizzlies reached new heights under his watch. The team posted a franchise-record 56 wins to take the fifth seed in the Western Conference.

Furthermore, Marc Gasol earned the 2013 Defensive Player of the Year honors. Players Mike Conley and Tony Allen also made All-Defensive team selections. Unfortunately, he was no longer the head coach after that historic season.

9. Pat Riley steps down despite being Coach of the Year for Lakers

Pat Riley brought plenty of success for the Los Angeles Lakers, both as a player and coach. In 1990, Riley was crowned NBA Coach of the Year after the Lakers posted a 63-19 record.

Unfortunately, the Lakers failed to advance past the Phoenix Suns. Furthermore, the Coach of the Year winner confessed that winning with the Lakers was nearing its end. As a result, Riley stepped down and decided to coach the New York Knicks.

8. The Suns part ways with Monty Williams

Monty Williams played an instrumental role in transforming the Suns from cellar-dwellers into legitimate championship contenders. In fact, he was the brains behind helping the Suns end their 11-year playoff drought and their absence from the NBA Finals since 1993.

Unfortunately, after four seasons with the Suns, the team parted ways with the coach that powered them back to relevancy, citing a need for a different voice. Fortunately for Williams, he signed the biggest coaching contract in NBA history with the Detroit Pistons. However, the Pistons fired Williams after one season when Detroit had the league's worst record.

7. Bucks cut ties with NBA champion coach Mike Budenholzer

Speaking of ending droughts, Mike Budenholzer led the Bucks to their first NBA championship in 50 years. Furthermore, with Budenholzer at the helm, the Bucks would top the Eastern Conference standings for a handful of seasons.

However, the two-time Coach of the Year still found himself fired two years later. According to reports, it was the Bucks' disappointing first-round exit against the Miami Heat in the 2023 NBA Playoffs that played a role in his firing.

6. Bucks fire Adrian Griffin for Doc Rivers

In relation to the Bucks, the team decided to go with Adrian Griffin after the firing of Mike Budenholzer. In fairness, Griffin led the Bucks to a 30-11 start to the 2023-24 season with Damian Lillard in tow. The record was good enough for the Bucks to take the second-best record in the East.

However, the team made another shocking coaching change by firing Griffin due to the fact that the Bucks front office wasn't convinced enough that he was the right coach for a championship. The Bucks replaced Griffin with NBA champion coach Doc Rivers.

But after that, the Bucks went 19-22 under Rivers and lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Indiana Pacers. However, the Bucks were missing two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and Lillard missed two games due to injuries.

5. Celtics end controversial Ime Udoka era

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There was no question that Ime Udoka seemed to be the right coach for the Boston Celtics after helping them make a Finals appearance for the first time since 2010. But fresh from the Celtics' Finals loss against the Golden State Warriors, Ime Udoka found himself at the center of controversy after engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a colleague while being married.

According to reports, the Celtics' front office initially suspended the former NBA player before firing him. The move paved the way for Joe Mazzulla to be promoted as head coach, who then led the Celtics to the 2023-24 NBA title.

4. Nuggets dismiss Coach of the Year winner George Karl

For nearly a decade, George Karl led the Denver Nuggets to be a legitimate contender in the Western Conference. During the 2012-13 NBA season, Karl led the Nuggets to a 57-win season amidst the departure of Carmelo Anthony.

The feat helped Karl secure NBA Coach of the Year honors. However, the Nuggets weren't satisfied. The front office cited JaVale McGee's lack of playing time and a series of first-round exits to justify firing Karl, as per reports.

3. Phil Jackson fired by Lakers after three-peat and Finals appearance

Phil Jackson is remembered for being one of the greatest coaches in NBA history. Part of his greatness includes leading the Lakers to their own three-peat. However, the Shaq-Kobe Lakers dynasty ended in 2004 after Jackson was fired by Jerry Buss.

With Jackson wanting to move on with Shaq, the Lakers front office decided to let him go, according to reports. However, Jackson made his return to the team 361 days later. After that, Jackson led the Lakers to two more NBA championships.

2. Cavs let go of David Blatt fresh from the NBA Finals

Fresh from the 2015 NBA Finals, the Cleveland Cavaliers were expected to ride with David Blatt as the head coach in the following season. During the 2015-16 season, Blatt led the Cavs to a 30-11 start for the best record in the Eastern Conference.

But suddenly, the Cavs pulled the trigger on a drastic change by firing Blatt, paving the way for the promotion of Tyronn Lue. Cavs GM David Griffin cited Blatt's lack of fit for his departure. Fortunately, the gamble was worth it for the Cavs, as under Lue the team pulled off a historic Finals comeback to secure the franchise's first NBA championship.

1. Bulls terminate relationship with Phil Jackson after second three-peat

With Jackson winning six NBA championships with the Bulls, that should've been sufficient to coach his remaining days with the organization. Unfortunately for Bulls fans, Jerry Krause felt underappreciated for his efforts.

After the Bulls' championship in 1998, the team opted to disband the successful core, including Jackson. Since then, the Bulls have never had another Finals appearance, let alone another championship. On the other hand, Jackson went on to win five more NBA titles with the Lakers.