Top 5 most desirable head coaching vacancies in the NBA right now
The revolving door of head coaches in the NBA has been in full swing recently. Nate Bjorkgren was relieved of his duties with the Indiana Pacers last week, while on Wednesday both Stan Van Gundy and Scott Brooks parted company with their franchises.
For these teams, finding a new coach is of utmost importance in the coming weeks to give them the most time possible to help prepare for the upcoming season. In this article, we will examine what the five most desirable head coach roles are currently in the NBA.
Ranking the top 5 sides seeking a new head coach in the NBA
#5 Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers made the embarrassing, yet necessary coaching decision last week by parting company with Nate Bjorkgren after just one season in charge. His tenure came to an end after the Pacers crashed out of the NBA play-in tournament following a crushing 115-142 loss to the Washington Wizards.
The result was indicative of Indiana basketball under Bjorkgren as they struggled for consistency throughout the NBA season. The Pacers finished the campaign bottom for offensive rebounds allowed and ranked inside the bottom-six sides for points and assists conceded.
Several Indiana players had solid seasons, headlined by All-Star Domantas Sabonis. Their form rarely overlapped with one another's as injuries to Caris LaVert and Myles Turner got in the way. Off the court, meanwhile, there were issues with Bjorkgren's management style which caused rifts between other players and staff.
Nevertheless, the Pacers' job is hugely desirable as a team who can definitely push to make the NBA playoffs next season. They have an encouraging core of talent and have several scoring options on offense.
#4 Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards' late run to claim a playoff berth was nothing short of astounding after their first half of the season. Despite their success against the odds, the franchise decided to part ways with head coach Scott Brooks after a new deal could not be decided between the two parties.
Although the Wizards have two NBA superstars in Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal, they come second-bottom of our list. This is due to the fact that an incoming coach would have little else to work with and little scope for trades. Beal and Westbrook took up a disproportionately large amount of the club's cap space. The players they could sell wouldn't bring in a lot in way of improvement.
Furthermore, Bradley Beal's future is currently unknown. The small forward had his best season for the Wizards in terms of points and almost took home the scoring title but may try to chase a title elsewhere. Beyond the two stars, Washington has some developing talent but not enough to put up a serious challenge in the playoffs again.