NBA coaching carousel: Bucks and Pelicans launch head-coach searches
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The NBA’s coaching market remains relatively quiet, with just two clubs—the Milwaukee Bucks and New Orleans Pelicans—making changes so far. Both franchises enter the offseason looking for new leaders after disappointing 2025-26 campaigns.
Milwaukee Bucks
Record: 32-50
Former coach: Doc Rivers
Lead executive: Jon Horst (hired June 2017)
Milwaukee dismissed Doc Rivers after the club collapsed into the lottery for the first time in a decade. Injuries sidelined Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the season unraveled quickly, prompting the Hall of Fame coach’s exit. Additional front-office changes remain possible before training camp opens in September.
Upside: If Antetokounmpo stays, the incoming coach still has one of the league’s elite talents as a foundation. A trade involving the two-time MVP could also deliver a trove of players and picks, reshaping the roster and asset pool. Lottery luck next month would provide another boost.
Challenges: Stretching Damian Lillard’s contract leaves $20 million per season on the books for four years, and the draft capital surrendered in the Lillard deal limits roster upgrades. If Antetokounmpo is not traded, a quick turnaround next season appears unlikely.
New Orleans Pelicans
Record: 26-56
Former coach: Willie Green (fired Nov. 15); James Borrego served as interim
Lead executive: Joe Dumars (hired April 2025)
The Pelicans’ move to replace Green had been expected for months. Interim coach James Borrego steadied the team as injured veterans returned, but New Orleans is still searching for a permanent option.
Upside: Zion Williamson just completed his most productive and healthiest season. Two-way wings Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones add further promise.
Challenges: Uncertainty over ownership’s financial commitment persists, including ongoing discussions about needed arena upgrades. The decision to trade a 2026 lottery pick and last year’s first-rounder for Derik Queen has not paid off, and sizable contracts for Jordan Poole (next season) and Dejounte Murray (next two seasons) complicate roster flexibility. Rejoining the Western Conference playoff mix will be difficult.
With additional vacancies expected to surface after the postseason, both the Bucks and Pelicans are set to shape the early stages of the 2026 coaching carousel.
Source: ESPN
