NBA coaching carousel: Firings, hirings, what's next for each job
Dallas and Chicago are still looking for long-term fits, while Orlando, New Orleans and Milwaukee have found their next coaches. Here's what lies ahead for each franchise.
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The Milwaukee Bucks became the first team to fill its vacancy, hiring Taylor Jenkins as their new coach. He replaces Doc Rivers, who exited the role after the regular season. The New Orleans Pelicans (Jamahl Mosley) and Orlando Magic (Sean Sweeney) have also hired new coaches.
Elsewhere in the NBA, the Dallas Mavericks (Jason Kidd and the team mutually parted ways May 19) and the Chicago Bulls (Billy Donovan stepped down in April) are still searching for their next coach.
Let's examine the positions currently available, the pros and cons of each situation and who could step in this offseason.
Open jobs
Dallas Mavericks
2025-26 record: 26-56 (missed postseason) Previous coach: Jason Kidd (mutually parted ways May 19) Lead executive: Masai Ujiri (hired May 2026)
Why this job is open: When Ujiri held his introductory news conference, he made it clear there was going to be a top-down look at every single part of the organization. Moving on from Kidd is Ujiri following through on that -- and an indication that this organization will be completely reshaped in Ujiri's image going forward. Team owner Patrick Dumont is not going to spare any expense doing so, as few other owners in the league would greenlight this sort of expenditure. Kidd has four years and more than $40 million remaining on his contract, sources told ESPN's Tim MacMahon.
Positives of the job: This begins and ends with Cooper Flagg. Yes, there is other talent on the roster and a couple of first-round picks to work with this summer. But Flagg has a chance to be a true difference-making talent. He has the positional size and skill set on the wing that make him one of the most malleable stars in the NBA -- presenting the Mavericks with flexibility in building out a contending roster around him. Flagg is an ideal building block who makes this an intriguing job all by himself.
Negatives of the job: For starters, there are the teams located a few hours' drive north (the Oklahoma City Thunder) and southwest (the San Antonio Spurs) that will likely pose a persistent threat for the next decade. Dallas also has burned through its first-round picks for the next several years, and both Kyrie Irving's age (34) and Dereck Lively II's injuries make it tough to rely on either of them being long-term building blocks alongside Flagg.
Portland Trail Blazers
2025-26 record: 42-40 (lost in first round) Previous coach: Chauncey Billups (on leave), Tiago Splitter (coached this season on an interim basis) Lead executive: Joe Cronin (hired December 2021)
Why this job is open: The Trail Blazers job has been in flux ever since Billups was arrested as part of an FBI investigation into an illegal betting scheme back in October. While Splitter did a commendable job on an interim basis throughout the season, after losing to the San Antonio Spurs in the first round Portland is conducting a full search for a long-term replacement.
Positives of the job: There's a pretty solid collection of talent in Portland, led by one of the season's breakout players: forward Deni Avdija. Portland has a ton of long, rangy athletes around him -- plus massive center Donovan Clingan protecting the rim -- which allows the Trail Blazers the ability to create a compelling defensive mix.
Negatives of the job: There are real questions about what the ownership of Tom Dundon, who officially bought the team in April, is going to look like. He has been open about cutting costs and Portland made several moves to shave money off expenditures in the time since he assumed control of the franchise. On top of that, Portland is not anywhere near the talent level of the top teams in the West, and the Blazers' books are pretty full money-wise for the next couple of seasons -- which is how long Avdija is on a below-market contract before he will become a free agent.
Chicago Bulls
2025-26 record: 31-51 (missed postseason) Previous coach: Billy Donovan (stepped down April 21) Lead executive: None (Arturas Karnisovas fired April 6)
Why this job is open: After the season ended, ownership made it abundantly clear that if Donovan wanted, he would remain in the job. However, after a series of family situations he dealt with during the season and facing the prospect of a lengthy rebuild in Chicago, Donovan chose to step down from the job he has had since 2020, allowing the Bulls to move forward with a clean slate after firing Karnisovas two weeks earlier.
Positives of the job: A lot about Chicago's situation should appeal to potential coaches: a huge market, a giant fan base and ownership that has proven to be patient. There should be total alignment with the front office, given the new head of basketball operations is going to be hired before a head coach. And in a deep 2026 draft, Chicago will pick twice in the top 15.
Negatives of the job: There is a definitive lack of talent on the roster. Josh Giddey is a below-average starting point guard, while Matas Buzelis is an intriguing long-term player who might eventually be an above-average starter. Outside of that, this group will take significant time to develop into a true factor in the East. With lottery reform coming, that task could become even more difficult.
Hired jobs
Orlando Magic
2025-26 record: 45-37 (lost in first round) New coach: Sean Sweeney (announced May 29) Previous coach: Jamahl Mosley (fired May 4) Lead executive: Jeff Weltman (hired May 2017)
Positives of the job: Talent. And for that reason, the Magic job was as attractive as any this summer. Between Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane, Jalen Suggs, Anthony Black and the rest of Orlando's roster, the belief is some tweaks to the offense and improved consistency can help this team fulfill this year's promise next season.
Negatives of the job: This roster is expensive, with the Magic headed for the second apron as currently constructed. That's not a path play-in teams tend to take, and this franchise hasn't expressed much willingness to enter that spending territory -- which could mean more changes are coming.
What does the new coach bring? Sweeney, long considered one of the best assistant coaches in the league, has been in the running for a series of jobs before landing his first head coaching opportunity. Sweeney has a long track record of working with star players (Giannis Antetokounmpo, Blake Griffin, Luka Doncic and Victor Wembanyama) and has been an integral part of several deep playoff runs -- most recently with San Antonio this season. He will be tasked with coaxing more from a roster that has struggled to take meaningful steps -- particularly offensively -- the past couple of seasons.
New Orleans Pelicans
2025-26 record: 26-56 (missed postseason) New coach: Jamahl Mosley Previous coach: Willie Green (Fired Nov. 15; James Borrego named interim coach) Lead executive: Joe Dumars (hired April 2025)
Positives of the job: There is talent here. Zion Williamson is coming off perhaps his best, and certainly most available, season. Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones are quality two-way wings.
Negatives of the job: There are questions about the lack of overall funding into the franchise by ownership, with discussions ongoing over much-needed investment in the team's arena. The decision to trade a 2026 lottery pick, plus a first-round pick last season, for Derik Queen looked worse as he fell out of the starting lineup down the stretch. There's still a ton of money tied up for next season in Jordan Poole and for the next two seasons in Dejounte Murray, both of whom are questionable fits. Getting this team back into a playoff spot in the West won't be easy.
What does the new coach bring? Discipline, accountability and a track record of getting teams to defend -- all things that will help establish a new culture in New Orleans.
Mosley methodically built Orlando into a team that has made the playoffs in each of the past three seasons, helping to shepherd the young talent and consistently proving to be able to motivate players. The Pelicans have never made the postseason three consecutive times and haven't made it in back-to-back seasons in almost 20 years. If Mosley can just repeat what he did in Orlando, the Pelicans will be thrilled with the hire.
Milwaukee Bucks
2025-26 record: 32-50 (missed postseason) New coach: Taylor Jenkins Previous coach: Doc Rivers (exited April 12) Lead executive: Jon Horst (hired June 2017)
