For some NBA franchises, their biggest offseason decision had nothing to do with the construction of the roster. It was all about picking the right person to patrol the sideline.
There were (technically) eight job openings this offseason with teams such as the Celtics, Mavericks and Trail Blazers looking for coaches capable of taking them into the next tier of their respective conferences. Others such as the Pacers and Pelicans wanted someone who could help them recover from disastrous seasons with their last hires.
MORE: NBA Power Rankings entering the preseason
With the NBA's newest head coaches set to huddle up with their players at training camps this week, it seems appropriate to review where front offices landed in their searches.
1. Nate McMillan, Hawks
Yes, McMillan took over after the Hawks fired Lloyd Pierce during the 2020-21 season, but he was only considered the interim head coach at the time. Atlanta gave McMillan the official title in July after he guided the Hawks to a 37-19 record (regular season and playoffs) and reached the 2021 Eastern Conference finals.
"The incredible job Nate did after taking over this season made this an easy decision," Hawks president of basketball operations Travis Schlenk said. "We were able to see how gifted a tactician, motivator and leader he is first-hand and the high level of respect and trust he earned from our players made securing him as our head coach our top priority."
2. Rick Carlisle, Pacers
What better way to bounce back from a messy campaign under Nate Bjorkgren than to land one of the most respected coaches in the NBA? Carlisle returns to Indiana after spending 13 seasons in Dallas, where he won more than 500 games and captured the 2011 NBA championship.
The Pacers have dealt with a lot of health issues in recent years, but Carlisle should have a lot of talent at his disposal as long as the team's core players can avoid major injuries.
3. Ime Udoka, Celtics
A former NBA player who served as an assistant coach for nearly a decade, Udoka just feels like the right guy for Boston. He knows how much consistency and stability matter having been a member of Gregg Popovich's staff from 2012-19, and he showed an ability to connect with star players in San Antonio, notably convincing LaMarcus Aldridge to sign with the team in 2015.
Perhaps most importantly, he has already established relationships with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart after working with them during the 2019 FIBA World Cup.
Udoka separated himself quickly in Brad Stevens' search process, including significant support from Celtics players who were impressed with Udoka after working under him with Team USA in the World's. https://t.co/87p0Q02tkS
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 23, 2021
4. Jamahl Mosley, Magic
After grinding for 15 years as an assistant coach, Mosley will finally be the man in charge. He is a great fit for a Magic team that is in full rebuild mode, as player development is one of his strengths.
Hey, if you don't want to listen to us, how about Luka Doncic?
Luka Doncic is a strong supporter of Mavs assistant coach Jamahl Mosley. “He’s got the things that are needed for a head coach," Doncic said after Mosely's one-game fill-in for a win over the Knicks this season. "He can be the head coach, for sure.”
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) June 17, 2021
5. Willie Green, Pelicans
Green has only been an assistant coach for a few seasons, but he did play in the NBA for more than a decade. He also got great experience under Suns coach Monty Williams and saw the transition Phoenix made from a scrappy underdog to legitimate title contender.
It's unclear if Green will be able to push Zion Williamson & Co. to their ceiling, but if nothing else, he understands that he can't make the same mistakes as Stan Van Gundy. Earning trust from players is just as criticial as X-and-O expertise.
"The best coaches are people that you know care about you, and connecting with players is no different than just connecting with people," Green said. "You realize really quickly that you have a lot more in common than you don't."
OFFSEASON GRADES: Eastern Conference | Western Conference
6. Wes Unseld Jr., Wizards
Unseld is facing more pressure than the first-time coaches above him on this list because of Washington's free agency situation. Bradley Beal can hit the open market next summer, and the Wizards' performance this season could very well determine how he approaches negotiations.
Plenty of folks around the league firmly believe Unseld is up for the challenge, including former Wizards big man Brendan Haywood, who recalled Unseld's impact on the mid- to late-2000s Washington teams.
"The thing I liked about Wes is he's even-keeled. Never got too high, never got too low," Haywood told NBC Sports Washington's Chase Hughes. "Very good guy. Got along with all the players and that was unique at that time because in that locker room, some guys were vibing with the coaching staff and some guys weren't.
"Wes was the guy that got along with everybody no matter what."
7. Jason Kidd, Mavericks
In Kidd's last full season as a head coach in Milwaukee (2016-17), the Bucks went 42-40 and finished with a 108.7 defensive rating. In Mike Budenholzer's first full season as a head coach in Milwaukee (2018-19), the Bucks went 60-22 and finished with a 104.9 defensive rating, which led the NBA. That's a bit alarming considering Kidd views defense as the key to winning championships and doesn't have an anchor like Giannis Antetokounmpo this time.
It's not just defensive tactics that cost Kidd his last job, though. There were some horror stories that recently surfaced about his time in Milwaukee that may have Mavs fans feeling uneasy about this hire. It's on Kidd to build strong bonds with Doncic and the rest of his players so he doesn't go down that road again.
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8. Chauncey Billups, Trail Blazers
Billups' tenure got off to a rough start after both he and Trail Blazers president of basketball operations Neil Olshey failed to answer basic questions about the hiring process, specifically regarding the team's investigation into a 1997 rape allegation against Billups. It was disappointing that Billups didn't offer much on the incident beyond his opening statement, allowing a moderator to cut off a follow-up question at his introductory press conference.
In terms of basketball, Billups will immediately be feeling the heat. He was Portland's big offseason acquistion, as the 2021-22 roster isn't much different than the 2020-21 version. If the Trail Blazers struggle early, the Damian Lillard trade chatter will get loud in a hurry.
