Two weeks into the NBA season, things in Brooklyn and Philadelphia haven’t exactly been ideal.
The Sixers, who used the offseason to retool their roster, have not looked the part of a contender early on in the season. The Nets, who had a tumultuous offseason, have stumbled out of the gates with some poor play that required a players-only meeting just six games in. With all that is going wrong, the job security of head coaches Doc Rivers and Steve Nash has come into question.
With all that has transpired, Rivers is currently the betting favorite to be the first head coach fired this season and Nash is not far behind. If early trends continue, these franchises could be in search of a new head coach for the interim or a long-term solution to take over the helm.
If Nash and Rivers cannot save the seasons of their respective teams, here are the best available candidates to right the ships before it’s too late.
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Ranking best available NBA head coach candidates
1. Mike D’Antoni
D’Antoni to Philadelphia almost makes too much sense, which is why he’s certainly an option.
With Daryl Morey calling the shots and a roster that includes James Harden, Montrezl Harrell, Danuel House and P.J. Tucker, the Sixers have recreated a lot of what D’Antoni worked with in Houston. D’Antoni is currently a coaching consultant in New Orleans but he’d surely answer Morey’s call to at least hear out the pitch of a potential reunion.
That said, it’s hard to envision D’Antoni leaving his position to go anywhere else in the league.
2. Sam Cassell
There’s something to be said about continuity, which is what gives Cassell a leg up on most other potential candidates for the Sixers job.
Cassell followed Rivers to Philadelphia in 2020 after spending six seasons on his staff in Los Angeles. Cassell has yet to earn a head coaching job in the NBA but during every cycle is a hot name on the interview circuit. If he were to take over in the interim, Cassell would be a familiar voice that could implement some minor changes with hopes of a different result.
MORE: The 76ers have problems, but does Doc Rivers have answers?
3. Igor Kokoskov
Defense is the chief concern in Brooklyn, but Kokoskov is already on the staff and is a well-known offensive maestro.
Kokoskov is in his first season with the Nets but does have one year of head coaching experience that he picked up during the 2018-19 NBA season with the Suns. Perhaps we’ll find that Kokoskov was brought in to be an option to assume the helm if and when things go awry.
4. Charles Lee
Throughout the last several hiring cycles, Lee’s name has been one of the hottest on the market.
Lee, who will be 38 this season, is now listed as the associate head coach of the Bucks. It is only a matter of time before he’s tabbed to take on a head coaching job. If a team is in search of a fresh face to reinvigorate the culture, Lee is a great option.
5. Jacque Vaughn
Vaughn might actually be next in line for the Nets.
After joining the organization in 2016, Vaughn took over as the interim coach for the Nets in 2020, leading them to play inspired basketball at the NBA “Bubble.” After losing out on the head coaching job to Steve Nash, Vaughn was retained and given the title of assistant head coach. If the team doesn’t want to shake too much up, they can go with someone that’s already been around.
6. Frank Vogel
Defense? Check. Championship pedigree? Check.
Vogel’s time as the Lakers’ lead man came to an end less than two years after he led the franchise to its 18th NBA title. After succeeding under the scrutiny that comes with coaching LeBron James and the Lakers, any pressures that Vogel could face moving forward should feel like nothing.
MORE: Myles Turner thinks he would be a great fit with Lakers
7. Kenny Atkinson
Atkinson agreed to and then backed out of a commitment to lead the Hornets this season, instead staying with the Warriors for a second season.
Perhaps Atkinson is in line to succeed Steve Kerr or maybe he’s waiting for a better opportunity. Atkinson was technically the lead man of the first season of the Kevin Durant-Kyrie Irving era in Brooklyn, but resigned 62 games in and never coached a game with Durant in it. That could be rectified with a reunion … or he could make his way to Philadelphia to ultimately stick it to his old team’s divisional rival.
Atkinson is largely known for his player development and connection with younger players, which would actually fit in Brooklyn, as the Nets have a group of young players that need to be brought up to speed in order to contribute to a team with high aspirations.
8. Adrian Griffin
Griffin was known for his defense throughout his nine-year NBA career and that is again his calling card as an assistant coach, as he is in his fourth season as a member of Nick Nurse’s staff in Toronto.
If there is any coach that could be grabbed from another staff mid-season, it would be a member of Nurse’s staff. Toronto’s lead man is adamant about his assistants getting opportunities and in 2021, allowed Chris Finch to take the Timberwolves’ job mid-season.
9. Dave Joerger
An in-house hire for Philadelphia that does have head coaching experience.
Joerger has six seasons as the lead man under his belt and while the Kings stint didn’t go too well (that might say more about Sacramento than Joerger), he took the reins of the Grit-and-Grind Era Grizzlies from Lionel Hollins. It’s important to know what it’s like to coach a team with an established identity.
MORE: Kyrie Irving’s mid-game plea to Ben Simmons: ‘Shoot it, Ben!’
10. Terry Stotts
Stotts last coached in the 2020-21 season, when he led the Trail Blazers to the NBA Playoffs for the eighth consecutive year. A veteran coach with over 30 years of coaching experience, Stotts would raise the floor wherever he lands, but that might not be enough for a team with title aspirations.
11. Jay Wright
It doesn’t get much more Philly than Wright.
While Wright recently retired from his post as Villanova’s head coach, the Hall of Famer could take on a new challenge if he were to accept the Sixers’ job. It might take a lot, but if Wright were to take any NBA job, it would almost certainly be in Philly. Wright’s set to become a CBS analyst this season and with his next career set to begin, it’s hard to place him higher on the list.
