2023 NBA coaching tracker: News, rumors, interviews, personnel changes
The NBA's coaching carousel already began moving moments after the 2022-23 regular season ended.
At least a couple of teams already announced that they were moving on from their current coach, hoping they can find a new voice that can spark positive results like Mike Brown did for the Sacramento Kings or how Jacque Vaughn helped steer the ship for the Brooklyn Nets following his midseason hire.Â
Here's all the latest news on the coaching and general manager changes around the league along with the rumored candidates and who is interviewing for each role.Â
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- The 76ers came to an agreement with former Raptors coach Nick Nurse to make him their next head coach on May 29. Nurse coached the Raptors for five seasons, helping them win the NBA title in 2019 and won Coach of the Year in 2020. After the Raptors missed the playoffs for the second time in three seasons in 2023, Nurse was fired. He'll get another opportunity with a contending team though as he'll coach reigning MVP Joel Embiid. Nurse replaces Doc Rivers, who was fired after the 76ers' third consecutive second-round exit in May.
- The Rockets agreed to terms with former Celtics coach Ime Udoka to make him their next head coach. Udoka coached the Celtics for one season before he was suspended by the team for the 2022-23 season after an investigation found he broke multiple team policies. Udoka replaces Stephen Silas, whose option for the 2023-24 season was declined by the team.
- The Bucks agreed to terms with Raptors assistant coach Adrian Griffin to make him the team's next head coach, ESPN reported on May 27. Griffin, who played in the NBA for nine seasons, began his coaching career with the Bucks in 2008. He's been an assistant coach for four other teams since then and was with the Raptors since 2018. His son, AJ Griffin, was drafted by the Hawks in the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft. Griffin replaced Mike Budenholzer, who was the Bucks' head coach for five seasons and helped them win a title in 2021 before he was fired earlier in May.
- Clippers general manager Michael Winger was hired to be the president of Monumental Basketball, which oversees the Wizards and the WNBA's Washington Mystics, on May 24. Winger began his tenure as the Clippers' general manager in 2017. He helped oversee the Clippers' turnaround as they reached their first Western Conference finals in team history in 2021. The Wizards fired general manager Tommy Sheppard after four seasons in April.
CANDIDATES
Detroit Pistons (HC)
- Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin (hired by the Bucks)
- Bucks assistant Charles Lee (will interview for a second time)
- Heat assistant Chris Quinn (will interview for job)
- Bulls assistant Josh Longstaff
- Nets assistant Brian Keefe (will interview for job)
- Vanderbilt men's basketball coach Jerry Stackhouse
- Former UConn men's basketball coach Kevin Ollie (will interview for a second time)
- Pistons assistant Jerome Allen (will interview for job)
- Pistons assistant Rex Kalamian (will interview for job)
- Former Celtics coach Ime Udoka (hired by the Rockets)
Phoenix Suns (HC)
- Suns assistant Kevin Young
- Former Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer
- Former Raptors coach Nick Nurse (hired by the 76ers)
- Clippers coach Ty Lue
Toronto Raptors (HC)
- Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson
- Bucks assistant Charles Lee
- Suns assistant Kevin Young
- Kings assistant Jordi Fernandez
- Grizzlies assistant Darko Rajakovic
- Heat assistant Chris Quinn
- WNBA's Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon
- Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin (hired by the Bucks)
- Former Celtics coach Ime Udoka (hired by the Rockets)
- Former NBA player and current ESPN analyst JJ Redick (reportedly interviewed for job)
- Former NBA star and Nets coach Steve Nash
PERSONNEL CHANGES (head coaches and general managers)
Detroit Pistons
- Dwane Casey resigned from his post as the Pistons' head coach following their regular-season finale after five seasons. The 2017-18 Coach of the Year will remain in Detroit, transitioning into a role in the team's front office.
Houston Rockets
- Stephen Silas' option for the 2023-24 season wasn't picked up, ending his tenure as the Rockets' head coach after three seasons.
Milwaukee Bucks
- Mike Budenholzer was dismissed by the team after five seasons as the Bucks' coach. Milwaukee's decision to let go of Budenholzer came a week after they were upset in the first round of the NBA playoffs despite having the best record in the league during the regular season. The Bucks finished with at least a top-three seed in the Eastern Conference in each season Budenholzer coached, including in 2021 when they won the NBA title.
Philadelphia 76ers
- Doc Rivers was fired from his position as head coach after three seasons. Rivers went 154-82 during his three seasons with the team, but never advanced past the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Phoenix Suns
- Monty Williams was fired as head coach after four seasons, which included a trip to the NBA Finals in the 2020-21 season.
Toronto Raptors
- Nick Nurse was fired by the Raptors after coaching the team for five seasons, including when they won the NBA championship in the 2018-19 season.
Washington Wizards
- Tommy Sheppard was fired from his role as the team's general manager after four seasons. Washington missed the playoffs the last two years.