It’s championship or bust for the Rockets and Coach Mike D’Antoni. (David J. Phillip/AP)
The NBA’s coaching carousel tends to spin in fits and starts, and the upcoming season could represent a time of relative calm. There are a few factors to consider. First, the list of teams facing “title or bust” expectations is short, given the league’s newfound parity. Unrealistic expectations tend to drive rash decisions, so a flatter field generally makes life easier for coaches.
Second, there are a bunch of fresh faces who are still getting acclimated: Cleveland, Memphis, Phoenix and Sacramento all made new hires this offseason, Chicago and Minnesota upgraded interim coaches to full-time deals, and teams such as Atlanta, New York, Orlando and Charlotte remain in the honeymoon period with their 2018 hires. See rest of the story here: