NBA Coaches on the Hot Seat

Courtesy of Steve Kyler
USA Today

Avery Johnson, Brooklyn Nets

No one expected Johnson to win games last season in New Jersey. The roster was not constructed to win games and Johnson, for the most part, got a free pass as the team prepared for this offseason. All of that changes when the Nets open their inaugural season in Brooklyn in two weeks. Not only do the Nets expect to compete, they expect to win a lot of games, and if Johnson cannot deliver a winner in Brooklyn, he could very easily be out. The saving grace for Johnson is that owner Mikhail Prokhorov likes him a great deal. However, with so much of the Nets' future riding on them being good from day one, the expectations on Johnson have more than doubled, and if he does not deliver, someone else could be running things in year two in Brooklyn.

Lawrence Frank, Detroit Pistons

The Pistons have never been very good at hiring coaches. The Pistons have had four coaches in the seven years since Larry Brown left the team. Since then, the team has gone backward virtually every year. Frank is an excellent coach. However, if the Pistons don't start showing serious improvement, new ownership's patience with the process won't last long. Team President Joe Dumars is already on the hot seat, and if Dumars goes after another ho-hum season, Frank could go with him. No one expects the Pistons to win a championship, but if the team doesn't show serious improvement, change across the board is inevitable.

Mark Jackson, Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors are all in this year. If the team is healthy and does not make the playoffs, it's hard to imagine that heads do not roll. Jackson was a leap-of-faith hire. The organization was looking for the next Doc Rivers/Scott Brooks type coach, and while Jackson's first season had its highs and lows, there is still a belief that Jackson is the right guy. If the team falls flat or struggles, Jackson could be in trouble. Joe Lacob and his partners have big dreams for the Warriors, and winning games is a key to where they want to take the team. If Jackson can't deliver with this roster, he may be gone next summer.

Kevin McHale, Houston Rockets

McHale did not have a lot of fans in his locker room last year. His players didn't revolt, but he didn't win many of them over, either. That's likely why most of the team was traded in the offseason. There is a reality that change is coming in Houston if the team does not make the playoffs this year. That change likely includes general manager Daryl Morey and possibly McHale being out and new leadership being brought in. McHale was a cheap hire, mainly because the Rockets tried high-priced coaches and got nowhere. If McHale and Morey cannot turn the Rockets into a marginal playoff contender, they are likely out at season's end. If this Rockets team turns on McHale during the season, his exit could be sooner than later.

Vinny Del Negro, Los Angeles Clippers

Del Negro isn't in jeopardy as much as he isn't secure. The Clippers picked up his option mainly because it was safe and easy. Unless the team implodes, there is a strong chance Del Negro ends the season as the Clippers coach. Whether he coaches beyond this season depends entirely on how the Clippers do this season. If things go bad -- and there were times last year where it was clear Del Negro did not run the locker room -- a midseason change could happen, but as long as Chris Paul and Blake Griffin back Del Negro, he'll be on the sideline. There is no doubting that expectations this season are high, so early struggles or outright collapses could cost Del Negro his job. It's more likely the Clippers see how far they can go as constructed and re-evaluate once Paul signs his new deal.

Mike Brown, Los Angeles Lakers

Brown's problem is that he is too nice. Some of the Lakers players saw that as a weakness last year and there were problems. The Lakers added Eddie Jordan to the coaching staff this year and moved John Kuester to a scouting position. That's going to buy Brown some credibility with the returning vets, and it also adds a strong offensive coach to Brown's strong defensive mind-set. That said, the bar is extremely high for the Lakers this year. They are all in on a title run, and if it seems Brown is not the guy to get them there, he could be gone midseason. The Lakers say they are committed to Brown, and based on the changes made on the coaching staff, they are responding to obvious issues last year. That said, if it's not working, Brown could be dismissed if he can't find a way to make all of this Lakers talent work.

Scott Skiles, Milwaukee Bucks

Sources close to him joked during the summer that Skiles thought he was getting fired at the end of last season. Instead, he'll be back for what's likely a lame duck season with the Bucks. Virtually the entire staff's contract is up at the end of the season, and unless Skiles can get this Bucks team into the postseason, he is likely gone along with most of the Bucks staff. There is talent in Milwaukee, and if things break Skiles' way they are as reasonable an eighth-seed candidate as anyone. If the Bucks go toxic or things go south, a midseason change is possible. However, it's more likely that things play out this season and changes are made next offseason if the team does not make the playoffs.