NBA 2018-19: Predicting the 5 best new head coaches

Memphis Grizzlies v Detroit Pistons
Memphis Grizzlies v Detroit Pistons

The 2017-18 NBA season saw a lot of stuttering teams pull the trigger on their backroom staff in the offseason. They include the likes of the Milwaukee Bucks, who fired Jason Kidd after 4 seasons of consistent underachievement, and the Toronto Raptors, who fired Dwane Casey following a third successive playoff exit against the Cavaliers.

In total, there are 9 teams opening the 2018-19 season with a new head coach manning the sidelines - the Knicks, the Magic, the Hornets, the Raptors, the Bucks, the Pistons, the Suns and the Atlanta Hawks. This article is an attempt to crystal-gaze into the future and project the most likely head coaches to be long-term successes at their new franchise while factoring their impacts in the short term:

#5 David Fizdale

The New York Knicks' short-term ceiling is squarely capped as they put franchise cornerstone Kristaps Porzingis through the long and tedious recuperation process from an ACL injury suffered midway through the 2017-18 season. With KP out indefinitely, the Knicks are in line to be among the worst teams in the league for the 2018-19 season.

They hit their draft right out of the ballpark, however, securing the services of one-and-done Kentucky product Kevin Knox. The 6'9" small forward, who can also play the 2-guard as well as the power forward role given his length and quickness, could be a long-term running mate for the Zinger, and the role of developing him and getting him gelled into NBA action is, for now, the responsibility of erstwhile Miami Heat assistant and Grizzlies head coach David Fizdale.

The Knicks may be one of the worst teams in the league, but you can expect to see glimpses of Fizdale's genius on the ride. These are much better times to be a Knicks fan than any in the recent past.

#4 Igor Kokoskov

Utah Jazz v Houston Rockets - Game Two
Utah Jazz v Houston Rockets - Game Two

All the signs from the offseason, preseason and Summer League play point to the Suns making a playoff push this season. If so, they have done well in nabbing one of the best coaches across the league in Igor Kokoskov.

In case you missed it, Kokoskov was the head coach of the Slovenian national team that won gold at the 2017 FIBA Eurobasket tournament, beating a number of much more heralded and fancied teams on the way, including Kristaps Porzingis' Latvia.

Kokoskov faces an unenviable task right now, but with the Suns still being largely in the works in terms of forming a core for the long term, there will be little pressure on his shoulders to give the Suns results right off the bat. Expect them to be better than dead last in both offensive and defensive efficiency unlike last season, though.

#3 Nick Nurse

Nick Nurse
Nick Nurse

The Toronto Raptors made two of the smartest moves in the offseason that increases their flexibility in the long term and allows them to compete with a win-now mentality in the short term. Masai Ujiri's decision to trade Raptors fan favourite and perennial All-Star DeMar DeRozan in exchange for 2014 Finals MVP and 2-time Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard has raised this team's ceiling on both ends of the floor and has understandably taken up enough press on its own.

But the key to the Raptors having a successful 2018-19 season is rooted in their new head coach Nick Nurse, who was an in-house promotion to the role that was vacated following Dwane Casey's firing in June. Nurse was the assistant coach who convinced Casey to change his offense to a more team-oriented one that uses the strengths of everyone on their roster, and he was responsible for the Raptors running that brand of offense through 82 games with extremely encouraging results.

Now in the hot seat, it remains to be seen how well Nurse can integrate two of the league's best defensive studs into his rotations. The Raptors have all the tools necessary to take hold of the #1 seed in the upcoming season if everything falls in place.

#2 Dwane Casey

Detroit Pistons Media Day
Detroit Pistons Media Day

The Detroit Pistons got lucky in landing a reigning Coach of the Year award winner right after firing a head coach and President of Basketball Operations who'd ensured that they remained mired in mediocrity and made the playoffs only once in his time there. Dwane Casey is the same coach who came up with the Mavericks' defensive schemes during their title-winning 2011 playoff run.

Despite Casey's failings at orchestrating good offensive schemes in the playoffs, the Raptors knew they were firing a head coach who has consistently been one of the best defensive coaches in the world. The Raptors were the only team to finish top 5 in both offensive as well as defensive rating last season per nba.com, and were the #1 seed with the second best record in the league prior to the playoffs.

#1 Mike Budenholzer

Atlanta Hawks v Detroit Pistons
Atlanta Hawks v Detroit Pistons

By far the most experienced NBA head coach of all 9 coaches currently on their new jobs, Mike Budenholzer has a history of getting the best out of the players available on his team. The Atlanta Hawks were among the Association's best regular season teams under him, although continued failures and his front office misdemeanors meant that they've now descended into a rebuilding phase.

The effects of Budenholzer's appointment are already quite clear. Every single Buck, including franchise player Giannis, has begun taking 3-pointers within the flow of the offense. Bud is also a renowned defensive coach, leading the Hawks to borderline elite defensive seasons during his time in Atlanta.

This Bucks team has all the players it needs to make a mark on the Eastern Conference with a post-LeBron power vacuum still looming large at the top of the table. If they win 55 games this season, both Giannis and Mike B will be in the running for the top honours.

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Edited by Prathik R