After the firing of Brian Shaw, several other coaches may be fighting for their livelihood as the end of the regular season nears. The Sacramento Kings have not improved under George Karl and have had the largest uncertainty at the helm of any team. If Karl cannot find cohesiveness with his players, primarily DeMarcus Cousins, he may very well be headed back to ESPN by season's end.
Lionel Hollins is likely next on the list. If the Brooklyn Nets cannot secure a playoff berth, the axe would fall on the former Memphis Grizzlies coach. Hollins was fired after multiple successful regular seasons in Memphis, but was unable to get the job done in the postseason. A winning record has been challenging enough for a Brooklyn Nets team that has been rumored to be seeking an organizational restructuring. The transformations will likely start from the top, with new management comes a new coach. Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, and Brook Lopez were each on the trade block for a period of time this season and their futures remain unclear as well.
Steve Clifford has been shaky with the Charlotte Hornets this season. After being swept by the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs last year, Clifford got off to a rocky start when the teal and purple returned to Charlotte. The Hornets have a plethora of young talent, but have underperformed this season. With an obsessive owner in Michael Jordan, Clifford's job is far from safe going forward. The Hornets still have a great shot to make the playoffs, but will likely do so without a winning record. As only Jordan could say, winning is everything, and he would certainly sacrifice a coach to win more games.
The Washington Wizards have slipped tremendously coming out of the All-Star break. Once a top-two team in the Eastern Conference, the Wiz Kids are now fifth and will be tasked with catching the Cleveland Cavaliers for fourth. A sure playoff team, Randy Wittman's squad would benefit from avoiding a first-round matchup with the Cavs. In the East, the top three seeds will have noticeably more favorable matchups. If Wittman cannot follow his first winning season with an extended stay in the playoffs, his job may be in jeopardy.
In his first season with the Utah Jazz, Quin Snyder has struggled with a young group. The Jazz are virtually irrelevant, although they have numerous young players who have shown great potential. Players such as Dante Exum, Gordon Hayward and Rudy Gobert could develop a chemistry that would put the Jazz back on the map. If Snyder cannot show any signs of life, the Jazz would be wise to cut ties with him.
As for one of the worst teams in the league, the Philadelphia 76ers continue to be the laughing stock of the NBA. Largely overshadowed by the New York Knicks, the 76ers have carried over their tanking efforts from a season ago and continue to decline. After trading Michael Carter-Williams and K.J. McDaniels and acquiring then subsequently waiving JaVale McGee, their direction is cloudier than ever. New head coach Brett Brown is at the heart of coping with the madness. He is not necessarily coaching for his job, but based on how the organization has proceeded over the season, he is far from safe.
As for the other bottom-dwellers, the Los Angeles Lakers would benefit from a new face at the helm that could better facilitate the entrance of new talents alongside Kobe Bryant. Across the country, Phil Jackson is not likely to part with his buddy Derek Fisher, but will certainly have a monstrous amount of work to do in the offseason, including implementing a new offensive strategy.