These six NBA coaches are on the hot seat, but maybe not for the reasons you think

Being on the hot seat in the coaching profession doesn’t always mean win soon or get fired soon.

There are three coaches who are stepping into new situations where losing their job this season is unrealistic but realistic championship expectations exist, from ownership down through the fan base.

It’s a win-now proposition for Phoenix Suns coach Frank Vogel, Philadelphia 76ers coach Nick Nurse and Milwaukee Bucks coach Adrian Griffin.

Vogel and Nurse have won titles − Vogel with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020 and Nurse with Toronto in 2019. Griffin is an NBA head coach for the first time and takes over a team that won the title in 2021.

Let’s take a look at those situations and other coaches who need to win now:

Phoenix Suns coach Frank Vogel

The Suns went to the Finals in 2021 but lost in the conference semifinals in 2022 and 2023 even with the addition of Kevin Durant alongside Devin Booker. It resulted in Monty Williams losing his job as coach under new Suns owner Mat Ishbia, who hired Vogel. Vogel brings experience to the job, coaching the Indiana Pacers deep into the playoffs in the early and mid-2010s and getting a title with the LeBron James-led Lakers in the Orlando bubble. The Suns added Bradley Beal in the offseason, raising expectations even higher. The front office did a commendable job adding to the roster despite the lack of salary cap flexibility. Offense won’t be a problem for this team. Vogel’s job is to turn the Suns into credible defenders.

Philadelphia 76ers coach Nick Nurse

With 2022-23 NBA MVP Joel Embiid, the Sixers remained committed to winning a title, but time is slipping away. The Sixers haven’t won a second-round series since 2001. And they open training camp with an unhappy James Harden, who wants out and called Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey a liar. Then, the NBA fined Harden. It’s not the way a contender wants to start the season, and Nurse was hired to get the Sixers to the next step. He did exactly that with the Raptors, replacing Dwane Casey and leading them to a title in his first season as head coach in 2018-19. Nurse is known for his adaptability on the fly, and that will be necessary as he navigates an uncertain start to the season.

Milwaukee Bucks coach Adrian Griffin

There are worse situations to walk into than a team featuring All-NBA forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, All-Star Damian Lillard and Khris Middleton. But there is also immense pressure on Griffin to get a team with Antetokounmpo (and now Lillard) back to the NBA Finals. This is Griffin’s first job as a head coach in the NBA, but he has assistant coaching experience on several quality teams, including the Chicago Bulls, Oklahoma City Thunder and the Raptors (on Nurse's championship team). Keeping the Bucks healthy and a top defensive team, helping Antetokounmpo become even better offensively and maximizing the Antetokounmpo-Lillard pairing are the challenges for Griffin.

Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd

The Mavericks were 52-30 and made it to the Western Conference finals in 2022. Last season, they were 38-44 and missed the playoffs. For a team with All-NBA guard Luka Doncic and eight-time All-Star Kyrie Irving, the Mavs should be competing for one of the top seeds in the Western Conference. Mavs owner Mark Cuban has shown patience with his front office execs and coaches, but he wants to win and take advantage of a player like Doncic. Kidd, in his third season in Dallas, needs to make the Mavs one of the premier teams in the West.

Minnesota Timberwolves coach Chris Finch

With Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert and a complementary roster, the Timberwolves want more than the No. 8 or No. 7 seed and first-round playoff loss, which has been the case under Finch the past two seasons. He is a solid coach but the Timberwolves need to start winning more games. Someone eventually pays the price for a team that doesn’t hit ownership’s expectations.

Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan

Injuries, especially Lonzo Ball’s troublesome knee, have not helped Donovan’s ability to win games − just one playoff appearance (2022) in his three seasons and a 40-42 record last season. Usually patient, let’s see how much patience the front office and ownership have with Donovan in a tough Eastern Conference Central Division.

Follow NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on X @JeffZillgitt