A few weeks back, the Sacramento Kings became the first NBA team to fire their head coach during the 2024-25 season. Mike Brown’s departure from the team was the cause of criticism around the league, but Sacramento has posted a 7-2 record since, and seem to have turned their fortunes around for the time being.
Which NBA Coach Will Be Fired Next?
Which team leader could be next? BetOnline has released the odds for which NBA coach will be the next one to be fired:
Chauncey Billups – Portland Trail Blazers (+200)
Chauncey Billups had his work cut out for him when he took over the Trail Blazers in 2021. The roster construction hasn’t helped, as they’ve lost both Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum during his tenure, but there have been no clear signs of improvement at any point. Things looked to be on an upswing in 2022-23 when Portland won 33 games, but they went backwards by posting a 21-61 record last year.
During the current season, the Blazers have gotten out to a 13-25 start and are 6 full games back of the 10th seed and final play-in spot. Portland has already given Billups more than three years to right the ship, and BetOnline has him as the favorite to be the next NBA coach to be fired. He is atop the board with a +200 designation.
Willie Green – New Orleans Pelicans (+250)
The Pelicans weren’t exactly favored to be contenders in 2024-25, but expectations were relatively high for a team that won 49 games and qualified for the playoffs last year. But New Orleans has been downright bad this season. They currently have a record of 9-32, the third-worst mark in the league, and will likely be sellers at the trade deadline in order to dump off some of their big contracts.
But has it been head coach Willie Green’s fault? Every one of their top-5 scorers has missed extended time due to injuries, including Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson. Like Billups, Green is in his fourth year with his current team, and is only slightly behind the Blazers’ coach on the odds board. He is coming in at +250 to be the next one fired.
Billy Donovan – Chicago Bulls (+600)
Bulls head coach Billy Donovan has been assumed to be on the hot seat for a couple of seasons now. He is in his fifth year in Chicago, and has just one playoff appearance on his record. He has been working with good rosters, but his team hasn’t been able to post a winning record since 2021-22.
This season, the Bulls are hovering just below a .500 record, which is where they’ve often stayed during Donovan’s tenure. They are sitting at 18-22 through their first 40 games, and are in 10th place in the Eastern Conference. They, too, could become sellers at the upcoming deadline, especially if things don’t turn around at the end of January. According to the sportsbooks, Donovan is the third-most likely NBA head coach firing, with a designation of +600.
