Four Coaches Predicted To Be Fired After Disappointing Starts

Few expected this start from Orlando. The Magic sit at 1–4, already a full game behind Boston for the final play-in spot. That may sound trivial now, but expectations were much higher. Entering the season, the Magic were projected to win over 50 games and held the ninth-best odds to win the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Instead, they’re on pace for mediocrity. This collapse feels systemic.

The front office added proven veterans in Desmond Bane and Tyus Jones to solidify the rotation. Yet, the team’s offense remains stuck in the mud. The Magic rank 27th in offensive rating and continue a decade-long tradition of being one of the league’s least efficient scoring teams. Even worse, their defense — the identity that powered last season’s rise — has fallen apart. Orlando has plummeted from second in defensive rating to 23rd. When a team loses its soul on both ends, it usually means the coach has lost the locker room. Jamahl Mosley might soon become one of the first coaches fired this season if things don’t change quickly.

Darko Rajaković | Toronto Raptors

Things are equally tense north of the border. Darko Rajaković’s Raptors are 1–3, and the warning signs are already flashing. The team spent aggressively before this season, pushing into luxury tax territory for 2026 and 2027 despite finishing in the lottery last year. That’s not a sustainable mix. Ownership expects progress, not regression.

Toronto’s 29th-ranked defense undermines any case for patience. Rajaković showed promise with a 12–10 finish last year, but many believed that late-season push came against teams that had already packed it in. The front office has changed, too. Masai Ujiri, who hired Rajaković, is no longer in charge. New executive Bobby Webster may want his own coach in place — especially if Toronto continues to slide. If results don’t improve soon, Rajaković could join the growing list of coaches fired before the All-Star break.

Willie Green | New Orleans Pelicans

The Pelicans are off to a nightmare start. At 0–5, they’ve become the season’s first major disappointment. Trading away their unprotected 2026 first-round pick already looked like a colossal mistake at the time. If their struggles continue, that pick could land a generational talent in Atlanta’s lap — a devastating blow for a franchise that’s only produced eight All-NBA seasons in its history. Not All-NBA players. Just seasons.

Willie Green’s seat is scorching. The front office reportedly considered moving on last offseason, but new team president Joe Dumars decided to delay the inevitable. Green’s rotations have been puzzling, and his “on-the-fly” adjustments lack structure. Missing Kevon Looney doesn’t excuse an 0–5 start. This roster was built to compete, and it’s failing. Dumars is untouchable for now, but Green isn’t. If the Pelicans don’t turn things around immediately, Green will likely become another name on the list of coaches fired this season.

Doug Christie | Sacramento Kings

Sacramento’s glow-up is dimming fast. Doug Christie’s Kings are 1–4 and showing all the warning signs of a team in decline. Losing Keegan Murray to injury was a massive blow — he’s their best defender and a newly extended cornerstone. But that’s part of the issue. When your best defender is a 25-year-old stretch forward, your defense is already flawed.

Christie’s rotations have compounded those issues. Keon Ellis, arguably the team’s best perimeter defender, has been demoted to the bench. Sacramento’s ownership has a reputation for impatience. A 1–4 start could easily spiral into 4–14, and history suggests the front office won’t wait around to find out. Even with his new multi-year extension, Christie could be the next coach shown the door. After all, a recent contract didn’t save Mike Brown from the same fate.

The season is young, but the writing is on the wall. The league moves fast, and franchises desperate for progress don’t have time for slow starts. For Mosley, Rajaković, Green, and Christie, the next few weeks may determine whether they remain part of the NBA’s future — or its next round of coaches fired on a random morning.