This summer's NBA coaching carousel was largely driven by losing teams seeking a new voice: None of the six teams that made a coaching change won a 2026 playoff series, while four finished more than 10 games out of the play-in tournament races.
Expect a much different dynamic during the 2026-27 campaign. After a busy offseason that saw a laundry list of All-Star players change scenery, the pressure will be ramped up on coaches of teams expected to contend for a title.
With that in mind, let's rank the five coaches facing the most intense scrutiny during the upcoming season, starting at No. 5 with a reigning Eastern Conference finalist.
5. Kenny Atkinson, Cleveland Cavaliers Atkinson has had more success than almost all his coaching colleagues since he was hired by the Cavaliers in 2024. The former Golden State Warriors assistant followed up a sparkling 64-win season for Cleveland in 2024-25 with a 2026 East finals appearance, the franchise's first without LeBron James since 1992.
Unfortunately, Atkinson's Cavaliers have specialized in crash landings. During the 2025 playoffs, the top-seeded Cavs were blown off the court in the second round by the upstart Indiana Pacers, and Cleveland was largely uncompetitive against the Knicks while being swept out of the 2026 East finals.