The NBA coaching carousel continued to spin with several teams making changes even before this year’s NBA champion is crowned. The Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic, Minnesota Timberwolves and New York Knicks wasted no time at all locking up the coaches they think will help take their teams to the next level and while it will take time to tell if they are the right fits there is certainly plenty of intrigue surrounding their additions. Here is a look at what to expect from the top new coaches in new places around the NBA.
Luke Walton, Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers had reportedly been chasing Walton for a couple of years now and the fact that they finally landed him has raised the level of optimism for basketball fans in Los Angeles. The highly regarded Warriors’ assistant stepped in to coach Golden State through the first half of the season when Steve Kerr was sidelined and he was one of the hottest names on the coaching market all season. Walton is regarded as a players’ coach that got to learn from one of the best in Kerr and while it will take some time to build a winner he clearly feels like the best fit for the job. The Lakers have an intriguing young core and are expected to be aggressive in free agency this summer so the rebuilding process could be sped up with Walton taking over.
Frank Vogel, Orlando Magic
Many felt the Indiana Pacers were crazy to get rid of an intelligent, experienced head coach in Vogel but their loss was clearly Orlando’s gain. Few expected Scott Skiles to resign but Vogel will pick up from where he left off and continue the rebuild with solid fundamentals and a strong pedigree from his time in Indiana. The Magic are another young team with some intriguing core pieces and while the franchise will preach patience it will be very interesting to see what Vogel can do with Orlando next season.
Tom Thibodeau, Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves are a team on the rise in the Western Conference and they may have finally found the head coach that can help take them to that next level in Thibodeau. The veteran coach is known for his fundamentals and getting the most out of his players and now he will have the opportunity to develop one of the most impressive young cores in all of basketball. Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins are ready to take the next step as stars in the NBA and it will be very interesting to see what kind of an immediate impact Thibodeau has in Minnesota.
Jeff Hornacek, New York Knicks
The Knicks turned a lot of heads with their decision to bring in Hornacek, especially considering Phil Jackson’s desire for his team to run the triangle offense. Hornacek is a capable basketball mind but there are obvious question marks about whether he is the right fit in New York. The Knicks appear to be a team at a crossroads as they don’t have the talent to contend right now but they haven’t committed to their young core just yet. Hornacek is expected to be given time and support as he tries to turn things around but it will be very interesting to see how patient Knicks’ fans are after the way things have played out for them over the past couple of years.
Dave Joerger, Sacramento Kings
When it comes to the Kings, nobody is ever sure what to expect. They always seem to have some kind of mess on their hands at the coaching position, but this decision might be one of their soundest yet. Joerger was cut off from Memphis after the team had a disappointing, injury-plagued season. It wasn’t necessarily his fault. Now he’ll take over a talented Kings team and try to do the same thing he did in Memphis: enter with low expectations but make the most out of it. Joerger brings some pedigree with him as Memphis was a consistent 50-win team under him. If he can navigate the personalities on the team and fit the pieces of the puzzle together – namely DeMarcus Cousins – Sacramento might in fact be a playoff team next year. The talent is there but Joerger will have to solve the puzzle of making it work.
