The NBA Coaching Carousel Is Spinning: Milwaukee and New Orleans Are The First Dominoes to Fall

The NBA coaching carousel has officially kicked into gear. The Milwaukee Bucks and New Orleans Pelicans have made changes at the head coach position, and there are more vacancies expected to open up this offseason. Let's break down what each franchise is looking at as they search for their next leader.

Milwaukee's Mess: How Did It Get This Bad?

Doc Rivers, fresh off his Hall of Fame election last month, is out in Milwaukee after the Bucks collapsed to a 32-50 record. The team cratered this season when Giannis Antetokounmpo got shut down due to injuries, and now Milwaukee is headed to the lottery for the first time in a decade. That's a stunning fall for a franchise that's had Giannis on the roster.

The positives? Well, if Antetokounmpo stays put, you've got one of the best players on the planet to build around. Even better, if the front office decides to move him in a trade, a new coach could inherit completely reshaped roster options and a refreshed asset sheet. Some lottery luck next month wouldn't hurt either.

But here's the brutal reality: the Bucks are handcuffed financially. They're stuck with $20 million from waiving and stretching Damian Lillard's contract on the books for the next four seasons. Plus, they burned through their draft capital just to acquire Lillard in the first place. Adding impact players to this roster is going to be a massive challenge. Jon Horst, the lead executive since June 2017, has some serious problems to solve.

New Orleans Needs More Than a Coaching Change

Willie Green got fired from the Pelicans back on November 15, and James Borrego stepped in as interim coach. Here's the thing: Borrego's actually been decent during his extended job interview. He's managed to squeeze wins out of this roster as the season progressed, especially once New Orleans got some of their injured veterans back healthy. The team might even keep him permanently, according to what Joe Dumars, the lead executive hired in April 2025, told reporters on Tuesday.

The Pelicans finished 26-56, and there's definitely talent on the roster. Zion Williamson is coming off perhaps his best and most available season yet. Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones are solid two-way wings. That's something to build on.

The catch? There are serious questions about how much ownership is actually investing in this franchise. That's a major headwind for any new coach walking into New Orleans.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.