Kurt Helin of NBC Sports has identified five head coaches whose jobs may be in jeopardy as the 2025/26 regular season heads into its final week.
Rivers’ Future in Milwaukee Uncertain
Helin reports that league insiders widely expect Doc Rivers, a member of the 2026 Hall of Fame class, to be dismissed as head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks after the season. Veteran reporter Marc Stein echoed that sentiment Sunday, adding that Rivers could remain with the franchise in a different capacity.
Other Coaches on the Watch List
Orlando’s Jamahl Mosley and Washington’s Brian Keefe were also singled out by Helin as coaches whose status bears monitoring.
Key Off-Season Question for Lottery Teams
ESPN front-office analyst Bobby Marks posed a primary question for each of the 10 clubs already eliminated from playoff contention. For Brooklyn, Marks asked whether the Nets should extend or trade forward Michael Porter Jr. this summer. His column was filed last week, before Chicago dismissed top executives Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley.
65-Game Threshold Remains Controversial
Cade Cunningham, Anthony Edwards and Luka Dončić are among the stars expected to fall short of the 65-game minimum required for major postseason awards—though Dončić could still qualify pending an independent review. Speaking with Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer, several league figures criticized the collectively bargained rule adopted in 2023.
Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch cautioned that the restriction might elevate “lesser players” onto All-NBA teams and hand them lucrative pay escalators. Finch suggested that clearly elite players should remain eligible for honors without receiving the associated salary bonus. “The money piece seems to be the obvious trigger,” he said.
Hall of Fame Class Reflects on Honor
Doug Feinberg of The Associated Press relayed reactions from the newly announced 2026 Hall of Fame class. “It means everything from a basketball point of view,” former All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire told the AP. “You play the game because you love it … and to get into the Hall of Fame, it shows that the voters appreciate it. And now we’re enshrined forever.”
What to Watch in Season’s Final Week
Multiple ESPN insiders outlined the biggest story lines to track as the regular season winds down, ranging from playoff seeding battles to individual award races.
The league’s crucial stretch run, combined with looming coaching decisions, front-office shake-ups and ongoing award eligibility drama, sets the stage for a busy off-season.
Source: Hoops Rumors
