This is a hard list to make because there are so many that could possibly go on this list. I am not sure why certain coaches stick around the NBA coaching circles and continue to get recirculated into a new team. Somehow I think different owners see one good aspect of a person and figure they can get different results. As for how I chose the coaches, the criteria is relatively straightforward. I looked for coaches who mainly are unable to make adjustments to the other team whether it be in game, at the half, or from game to game in the playoffs. Another good criteria is the teams performance in the clutch since it basically boils down to execution of a game plan if there is one and how well the coach has instilled confidence in his players to execute. Development of young players is another key facet of a good coach. Finally, a good coach should be able to get the most out of a player to the point where if that player goes to another team, he appears to be a lot worse on the new team. Finally, the coach has to have been a head coach for a couple years so we get a true evaluation of their skills.
Of course, Isiah Thomas would be high on this list but he fled the scene and now is in the college game so he is exempt from this list.
5. George Karl: His teams always fail in the clutch. Notice how Denver thinks and claims they are the best but always lose the close playoff games to the Spurs and now Lakers. I assume Karl assumes his team is better and therefore decides adjustments would be a waste of time.
4. Don Nelson: His teams are always mediocre.
3. Doc Rivers: He was blessed with a true leader and clutch player in Paul Pierce, a clutch shooter in Ray Allen, and an emotional leader and stats guy in Kevin Garnett. He rode this talent and did not really have to coach. Knock out one piece and his flaws show. He too doesn’t understand how to make an adjustment and so he just hopes his players figure it out.
2. Mike Brown: He rides LeBron and it showed. No offensive gameplan and no adjustments throughout a series where they were getting pounded.
1. Mike Woodson: Far and away the worst coach in any of the 4 leagues. His own GM tried to fire him several times but the cheap owners denied the request. He has the worst stretch of 82 games of any team ever (check me on this but I believe it is true). He cannot stand playing any young guy and plays them until they make one mistake and then yanks them and bad mouths them. He overplays his older guys throughout the season and then wonders why they are tired and get injured come playoff time although their injuries provide him with a nice excuse. The players that leave the team are much better on their new team since their new coach recognizes and utilizes their strengths instead of trying to force them into positions which expose their weaknesses. No offense game plan. The main play is Iso Joe. No defensive game plan except to stress defense but not actually have a defensive plan. The plan is to switch every pick and hope that the other team doesn’t notice they are doing it because then they will run a couple picks to get a favorable match up at which Woodson will hope that Josh Smith will block the shot. The team got into the 2nd round only due to the fact that their young nucleus got better over the years despite the coaching.