On opening night of the 2023-24 season, at least six teams will have new head coaches leading the way.
The Rockets were the first team to part ways with their previous head coach and the first team to hire a new head coach, appointing Ime Udoka in April. With Udoka in Houston, there are still five vacancies left to be filled.
While the title of NBA head coach is one that is held by only 30 people, not all coaching jobs are the same. With each position comes a different level of pressure and variance in a team's readiness to compete at a high level.
Take this year, for example — the teams with the best and worst regular season records are both in search of new leadership. So, how does that impact the desirability of each position?
As teams continue the process of interviewing coaching candidates, The Sporting News ranks the NBA's five openings, taking into account the pressure that comes with each job and the situation the coach will inherit.
MORE: Ranking 11 best available NBA head coaches
1. Bucks
2022-23 season: 58-24, lost in Eastern Conference First Round
Pressure Rating (1-10): 8
To whom much is given, much is expected. Milwaukee's next coach will inherit a roster led by the world's best player in Giannis Antetokounmpo. Naturally, this job comes with plenty of pressure to help the team maximize its championship window.
Given the fact that Antetokounmpo won't turn 29 until December, that window is wide open.
From a personnel standpoint, Milwaukee faces a number of questions, but the futures of Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton are the biggest concerns. Both can enter free agency this offseason.
Personnel decisions won't be the responsibility of the new coach, but it certainly helps to have an anchor that was an All-Defensive First Teamer and a player in Middleton that, when healthy, plays at an All-Star level.
With some minor tweaks, the Bucks can be right back in the championship mix. They have all of the pieces, but they'll need the right coach to get them in order. Since winning a championship is what it's all about, Milwaukee lands at No. 1 on the list.
MORE: Why the Bucks fired head coach Mike Budenholzer
2. Suns
2022-23 season: 45-37, lost in Western Conference Semifinals
Pressure Rating (1-10): 10
New owner Mat Ishbia has clearly taken a no-nonsense approach to this team, firing Monty Williams after the Suns came up short in the second round. It's clear that Ishbia is expecting nothing less than excellence, making this the position with the most pressure.
Does the pressure match the desirability of the opening, though? While it would be just about any coach's dream to have a dynamic duo like Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, Phoenix has a few flaws that were exploited in the playoffs.
There's pressure in the front office, too. General manager James Jones will need to execute the perfect moves to fix a top-heavy roster, and the new coach will be expected to maximize the team's potential.
Ultimately, the duo of Booker and Durant gives any incoming coach plenty of flexibility to build a real contender, but will that coach be given a long enough leash to make an imprint on the franchise?
MORE: Explaining Suns' decision to fire Monty Williams
3. 76ers
2022-23 season: 54-28, lost in Eastern Conference Semifinals
Pressure Rating (1-10): 7
The situation in Philadelphia is one that is mired in uncertainty. Reigning MVP Joel Embiid is under contract through at least the 2025-26 season, but the future of James Harden is up in the air.
Last season, the Sixers' formula for success was predicated on Embiid and Harden executing their roles to perfection and everyone else falling in line. Tyrese Maxey is on the cusp of fully becoming Philly's No. 2, but Harden's two 40-point performances in the Eastern Conference Semifinals serve as a reminder of the level he is capable of reaching.
Now, it's unclear whether Harden will re-sign with the 76ers, putting major questions around the team's roster composition in the coming years.
Coaching the MVP is a major bonus, but can Maxey make the leap? What are the expectations for Tobias Harris? Can P.J. Tucker continue to be impactful as he enters his age-38 season?
It's Philly, so there will always be pressure. But the uncertainty around the situation could make things look very different in just a few months.
MORE: Doc Rivers dismissed by 76ers after another second-round exit
4. Pistons
2022-23 season: 17-65, failed to qualify for NBA Playoffs
Pressure Rating (1-10): 4
After finishing with the league's worst record last season, luck wasn't kind to the Pistons, who will select fifth in the upcoming draft. They'll still be able to add a talented player to a young roster, though.
Led by former No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham, Detroit has a solid core of players under the age of 25. That group includes Marvin Bagley III, Jalen Duren, Jaden Ivey, Isiah Stewart and James Wiseman.
Some things will need to be sorted out, but this roster is not lacking for talent. And it has a veteran in Bojan Bogdanovic to serve as one of the adults in the room.
The other leader will be Detroit's new head coach, who will feel pressure with respect to talent development. But there is plenty of fun in the ability to mold a young roster to your liking through the highs and lows of a season.
With the right hire, Detroit has a clear path toward relevance once again, which is an opportunity many coaches would love to take on. It's the growing pains that place them lower on the list.
NBA MOCK DRAFT: Who will Pistons select with fifth overall pick?
5. Raptors
2022-23 season: 41-41, lost in Play-In Tournament
Pressure Rating (1-10): 5
Toronto is by no means a bad job, but there's a strange present vs. future tension hanging over the franchise.
The Raptors have maxed out over the past two years, winning 48 games in 2021-22 before losing in the first round. This past season, a .500 record led to a disappointing loss in the Play-In Tournament and a shift away from former Coach of the Year Nick Nurse.
MORE: Decision to fire Nick Nurse comes after frustrating Raptors season
It would appear that Toronto is set on building around Scottie Barnes and Pascal Siakam, but after that, not much is set in stone. O.G. Anunoby has been in trade rumors for nearly a year now. Gary Trent Jr. is expected to move on. Fred VanVleet can test the free-agency waters. The team will need to prioritize retaining Jakob Poeltl this summer.
If you're keeping count, that's four of the nine players that played in Toronto's Play-In Tournament loss.
After winning the NBA title in 2019, there is an expectation for excellence in Toronto, but expectations should be tempered if the franchise takes a calculated approach to retool.
Because of the unanswered questions currently looming around the franchise, the opening is sitting at No. 5. That could certainly change as the offseason progresses.
