NBA Coach Hiring and Firing Grades

Atlanta Hawks hire Quin Snyder as coach on a 5-year deal: Grade: A
Instead of just having an interim coach, Atlanta has hired former Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder, who was one of the best coaches in the league for a long time, helping make the small market Jazz compete in the West. The Hawks wants him to achieve the same for them.

Atlanta Hawks fire coach Nate McMillan: Grade: A
In a move that happened at a smart time as teams have several more days of the All-Star break, the Hawks made a move that should have happened awhile ago, they have fired coach Nate McMillan. This is not to say that McMillan is a poor coach, which is not the case, although they are just eighth in the East, but there have been rumblings about issues with Atlanta star Trae Young for a long time; in fact, I personally think be will ask for a trade in the offseason. The truth is that Young and the Hawks have played poorly this season, and if there's an issue between a star and a coach, you fire the coach 99 percent of the time, which is what happened here. The Hawks had get rid of the coach.

Nets give head coach Jacque Vaughn a 3-year extension: Grade: A
The Brooklyn Nets fired coach Steve Nash a few weeks into the season and made Jacque Vaughn their interim coach. They then got rid of the interim title and have now rewarded his brilliant coaching with a three-season extension.

When I say brilliant, I mean it as, although the Nets have had more drama in one season than I can remember for a team, they're winning. Again: they fired Nash; they had immense Kyrie Irving drama; an Irving trade request that was a brutal blow to the team; that actual trade; and then a Kevin Durant trade.

The Nets are very much still a playoff team, but the coach has a near impossible mission of making their reconstructed roster a winning roster. Regardless, Jacque Vaughn has proven to be a strong leader who can guide this team, and I love Brooklyn's choice to reward its coach.

Chicago Bulls extend Billy Donovan as coach: Grade: D+
Someone reported today that the Bulls re-signed their head coach during the offseason, and as a Bulls fan and a fan of grading, I was very happy to grade this. My Bulls are average at best right now, and they aren't performing to their talent. Donovan has struggled with his rotations, can't get the most from his talent, has angered Zach Lavine, and the team's player development looks poor at best. There isn't any reason why Donovan deserved an early extension.

Brooklyn Nets hire Jacque Vaughn as head coach: Grade: B
It seems that I have to apologize. The Brooklyn Nets have chosen not to hire Ime Udoka as was reported and then graded by me, because there are a lot of people around the NBA against it. The Nets have wisely decided to choose another coach and have picked current interim coach Jacque Vaughn. Personally, I like the hire because it is a drama-free move for a franchise that knows only drama this season. I doubt Kyrie Irving will be with Brooklyn much longer, and I assume Kevin Durant will be traded this season, so the promotion of Vaughn gives the team a sense of continuity and familiarity, plus he has experience. He knows the Nets well, so I like the hire.

Brooklyn Nets fire Steve Nash as head coach: Grade: A
Kevin Durant demanded this during the offseason, but he finally got what he wanted just two weeks into the season. Steve Nash was a poor NBA coach and also wanted to be fired, so this is an easy A.










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