7 NBA Head Coaching Vacancies: Ranking The Most — And Least — Attractive Jobs Available

The NBA head coaching carousel is underway with seven vacancies.

With news this week that Stan Van Gundy will not return to the New Orleans Pelicans, Rick Carlisle to the Dallas Mavericks and several other team staff changes, there are plenty of top jobs open around the league. The seven jobs available are with New Orleans, Boston, Dallas, Washington, Portland, Orlando and Indiana.

Taking into account current rosters, salary cap flexibility, market and future expectations, here are the best (and worst) NBA head coaching jobs available.

Best job: Dallas Mavericks

After a report from The Athletic exposed dysfunction in the organization, both the general manager and head coach have left the organization. Now that issue is resolved, the Mavericks job will instantly become the most attractive for one reason: Luca Doncic. The 22-year-old superstar is one of the best players in the league and has made the All-NBA 1st team in each of the past two seasons.

Doncic is built to have postseason success and, while there are some restrictions on the roster around him, could still land a star running mate for next season. Owner Mark Cuban is adamant about his desire to win and with Doncic on the roster, that is a real possibility for any new head coach.

2. Boston Celtics

After news broke of the Celtics trading Kemba Walker to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the dynamic of this job changed. Brad Stevens, now atop the front office for Boston, moved Walker and clearly showed the future is in the hands of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.

The new head coach will have a talented roster to work with and the support of Stevens and ownership.

While Boston lacks a Doncic-like talent, the team is strong and Stevens will continue to be aggressive in building a winner.

3. New Orleans Pelicans

Any head coaching position involving a superstar young talent is attractive. Despite rumors of Zion Williamson’s family being upset with the organization and wanting a trade, he is still a member of the team and an asset to the new head coach.

The pressure will immediately be on making the playoffs, but the team is talented enough to do so. Williamson and Brandon Ingram, alongside Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart (both of whom are restricted free agents) are good enough to make the playoffs.

The question is will the team be able to build around Williamson to keep him in New Orleans, or will the new head coach only have him around a short while.

4. Indiana Pacers

Despite lacking a superstar player, the Pacers job is a solid one. The team exited the playoffs in the first round this season but has the talent to make it again next year.

The roster is solid across the board and the label of “solid-but-unspectacular” makes this job one with reasonable expectations. Indiana is a playoff team without a superstar, but is an appealing opening.

5. Portland Trail Blazers

Damian Lillard’s future in Portland is uncertain, giving this job a question mark hanging over it. If he stays, the pressure will be on the new head coach to win immediately and make a deep playoff run. If not, they could be one-and-done.

Instability makes for bad openings, but if the pieces stay the same, the Trail Blazers will be one of the better teams searching for a head coach. Lillard is a top-10 player, but consistent losses early in the postseason make this opening a shaky one.

6. Washington Wizards

The presence of Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook gives Washington a good chance at reaching the playoffs next season. The team lacks cap flexibility to improve the team much and the duo of Westbrook and Beal is not good enough to truly contend in the Eastern Conference.

While the Wizards will be a low seed in the playoffs, the upside of this opening is not very high.

Worst job: Orlando Magic

The Magic are entering a full-fledged rebuild. Of all the teams with a coaching vacancy, the Magic is the only one without a shot at making the playoffs.

This job will likely go to a younger coach looking to prove themselves to a young and rebuilding group of players. While that could result in a new coach breaking out as a rising star, the Magic are not going to be good for at least several years.

(Photo: TJ Dragotta via Unsplash)