NBA head coach openings: Looking at top 5 candidates available after 2023 season

Many NBA head coaches are available for hire. At the same time, several teams need to hire a new coach, which they will do over the next few months.

Monty Williams, Mike Budenholzer and Doc Rivers all had outstanding records over the past few years, yet they were fired shortly after their teams were eliminated from the playoffs.

Considering how great these coaches are, they will likely find a job soon. Veteran coaches like Rivers will especially be sought after this offseason.

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#1, Monty Williams

Monty Williams (Image via Getty Images)

Monty Williams transformed the Phoenix Suns into one of the league's best teams. However, he couldn't lead them to the promised land, despite landing Kevin Durant earlier this season.

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Williams has coached two different teams and reached NBA Finals in 2021. His overall record is 367-336, and his best regular-season record was 64-18 last season.

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#2, Doc Rivers

Rivers was fired after three years in Philadelphia. (Image via Getty Images)

In three years with the Philadelphia 76ers, Doc Rivers couldn't get past the second round. He was recently eliminated by the Boston Celtics, making his Game 7 record even worse.

Rivers has been a head coach for more than two decades. His most successful season came with the Celtics in 2008. Not only did he win 66 games with the team, but he also won it all.

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#3, Nick Nurse

Nurse was with the Toronto Raptors for a decade. (Image via Getty Images)

Nick Nurse was an assistant coach for the Toronto Raptors from 2013 to 2018, when he was promoted to head coach. However, he was let go after the team failed to make the playoffs this season.

Nurse led the Raptors to their first championship in his first season as a head coach. That was also his best regular season, as the Raptors went 58-24.

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#4, Mike Budenholzer

Budenholzer won it all with Milwaukee in 2021. (Image via Getty Images)

Mike Budenholzer served as an assistant coach before getting promoted to head coach in 2013. He turned the Atlanta Hawks into one of the most competitive teams in the East and had a lot of success with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Bud won it all with Milwaukee in 2021 after going 60-22 in the regular season. His overall record is 484-317.

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#5, Frank Vogel

Frank Vogel will be on the lookout for NBA head coach openings. (Image via Getty Images)

Frank Vogel will undoubtedly be a target for many NBA head coach openings. He last coached the LA Lakers, his third team in the league. Before his head coaching gig, Vogel was an assistant coach for eight years.

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Vogel's most successful regular season came with the Indiana Pacers in 2014, as he went 56-26. And the veteran coach led the LA Lakers to the championship in 2020.