NBA head coach rankings for all 16 still alive in 2026 Playoffs
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 02: Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick looks on against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Paycom Center on April 2, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) | Getty Images The 2026 NBA Playoffs are all about the matchups, and that puts an added emphasis on coaching.
Coaching often has a way of falling into the background during the league’s eternal 82-game regular season, but maximizing every possession matters in the playoffs, and it puts a harsh spotlight on the men in the big chair who need to consistently cook up advantages for their teams to advance. The narratives can change fast in the playoffs. It feels like several people on this list are coaching for their jobs even if they had a lot of regular season success.
With offseason openings in Chicago and New Orleans and a potential opening in Portland, we already know the coaching carousel will be spinning this summer. You can bet that there will be a couple more vacancies before the end of the season. Let’s rank every head coach who made the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
16. Jamahl Mosley, Orlando Magic The Magic were my preseason NBA Finals pick out of the East , and instead they barely snuck into the playoffs as the No. 8 seed.
Orlando was the most disappointing team of the season, and it seemed likely they would try out a new head coach before making a major shake-up to the core once the season ended. Then something funny happened: the Magic finally got healthy and started playing their best basketball at the right time. Orlando looks like it can absolutely win its first-round series against the No.
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