13 Rules: NBA Coaches on the Hot Seat – Who’s Safe and 2 Who Are Likely Gone

In this weeks 13 Rules: Random NBA Thoughts Steve Purciello dives shares more random NBA thoughts. 13 Rules: NBA Coaches on the Hot Seat – Who’s Safe and 2 Who Are Likely Gone and more. Make sure to listen and add the 13 Rules: NBA Random Thoughts podcast the Shot Clock Pod to your list!

NBA Coaches on the Hot Seat

Jamahl Mosley (Orlando Magic): Banchero Feud and Playoff Pressure

Desmond Bane entered the season hoping he was the final piece of a championship contender. This season, Paolo Banchero and Jamahl Mosley exchanged comments about in-game adjustments.

Not seeing eye to eye with your best player, while also falling short of team expectations, is tough for any coach to overcome. Mosley’s best chance to keep his job may be getting the Magic into the playoffs and pulling off a first-round upset.

Darko Rajakovic (Toronto Raptors): Quickley’s Contract and Playoff Hopes

The Raptors expected more than a team currently in seventh place. They are also well over the salary cap with the large contract given to Immanuel Quickley.

Rajakovic is said to have a good relationship with his players, and that may help save him. Still, it would help if the Raptors showed something in the playoffs.

Doc Rivers (Milwaukee Bucks): Rebuilding Concerns and the Giannis Question

This one feels like it could be a mutual parting. Rivers has coached in the NBA for 25 years and likely would have little interest in leading a team that is rebuilding.

Management may want to look for a younger coach who can grow with a young roster. That is all predicated on Giannis Antetokounmpo being dealt in the offseason, which might be best for all parties.

Billy Donovan (Chicago Bulls): North Carolina Calling and Front Office Friction

This one is interesting. The North Carolina job is open, and it is one of the best jobs in college basketball. North Carolina is interested in Billy Donovan.

Donovan is also said not to be happy with Arturas Karnisovas, the Executive Vice President of Operations. If North Carolina offers him the job as rumored, Donovan will probably go.

Brian Keefe (Washington Wizards): Defensive Woes and Contention Window Questions

Keefe was hired to develop a young team. This year, the Washington Wizards acquired Trae Young and Anthony Davis, and they now feel they are past the developmental stage and ready to contend for a playoff spot.

The question is whether the Wizards believe Keefe can get them at least into the play-in. Coaches with young teams usually stress defense, and it does not help that the Wizards are last in the league in defensive rating and gave up 83 points to Bam Adebayo.

James Borrego (New Orleans Pelicans): Interim Tag and Dumars’ Decision

Borrego was hired by the New Orleans Pelicans during the season after Willie Green was fired, and he is serving as interim coach. The question is whether Joe Dumars, the team president, wants to hire his own man or not.

Doug Christie (Sacramento Kings): Unpredictable Owner Makes This One Tricky

This one is not easy to call because it is the Sacramento Kings. Christie has not done a good job, but the owner, Vivek Ranadivé, is unpredictable and likes Christie.

NBA Random Thoughts

Lakers in Crisis: Dončić Injury Exposes Gap With the Thunder

Within minutes on Thursday night, the Lakers went from being a dark horse in the Western Conference to a team that may not get out of the first round of the playoffs. Luka Dončić’s grade two hamstring injury means he could be out for a month or more.

That puts a large burden on 41-year-old LeBron James. He now needs to be more of an offensive threat if the Lakers can hold things together until Luka returns. Another factor that has not been talked about enough is the Lakers’ 40-point loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder showed there is a gap between them and the third-place Lakers, with or without Luka.

Karl-Anthony Towns Usage Alarm: Why Is Alvarado Outscoring Him?

I do not know what the problem is with Karl-Anthony Towns, but something is wrong when Jose Alvarado takes more shots than Towns in a game, as he did last Sunday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Mike Brown, you cannot allow that to happen.