NBA: 5 coaches most likely to be fired this season

5 NBA coaches most likely to be fired this season

May 29, 2014; San Antonio, TX, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Scott Brooks speaks to the media after the loss to the San Antonio Spurs in game five of the Western Conference Finals of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center. San Antonio won 117-89. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports /

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Apr 16, 2014; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic head coach Jacque Vaughn on the sidelines in the first half as the Indiana Pacers beat the Magic 101-86 at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: David Manning-USA TODAY Sports /

Jacque Vaughn — Orlando Magic

Like many teams around the NBA, the Orlando Magic have embraced the idea of avoiding the middle ground. After the departure of franchise anchor Dwight Howard, the Magic have focused on acquiring and developing young players to build for the future. Head coach Jacque Vaughn has spearheaded that effort, but his team must turn the development into at least modest results if he wants to stick around.

Coming off back-to-back seasons of 23 wins or less, it’s hard to imagine Magic ownership tolerating another poor campaign, particularly after they threw decent money around in the offseason. The acquisition of Channing Frye provides offensive punch and floor spacing to a team beginning to build around defensive talent; recent draft picks Victor Oladipo, Elfrid Payton and Aaron Gordon are chief among that effort.

There’s no real need to get drastic in Orlando, but often times coaches who begin the rebuilding process are treated as sacrificial lambs. Vaughn was given a vote of confidence with an extension that runs through 2015-16 this May, but it’s hard to imagine that being a factor without tangible progress this season.

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