In professional sports, the adage “coaches are hired to be fired” rings true time and time again. Even though the new NBA season is in its infant stages, there’s no shortage of bench bosses that are already on the hot seat according to online sportsbook Sportsbook (this is your warning to look away, Kings fans).
Topping the list is Sacramento’s George Karl at +280 odds. Karl was hired in the latter half of the 2014/15 campaign to ignite a Kings team that was sinking towards the bottom of the standings in the tough Western Conference, but the returns have been mixed.
If there’s one thing we know about Sacramento it’s that they’re a wildly unpredictable organization. That was brought to the forefront when former head coach Mike Malone was handed his walking papers after guiding the team to a 11-13 start last season – a move that was widely criticized across the league from fans, media members and players alike.
Ever the center of attention for all the wrong reasons off the court, the Kings were in crisis mode after reports came out citing Karl was pushing the front office to trade franchise cornerstone DeMarcus Cousins in the offseason. The two have since said all the right things while allegedly burying the hatchet, but the aforementioned rift between Karl and the polarizing big man could come to light once again which is likely a big reason he’s been tabbed as the chalk in this prop.
Rounding out the top five on the list is Brooklyn’s Lionel Hollins (+300), Byron Scott (+400), New York’s Derek Fisher (+400) and Washington’s Randy Whittman (+500).
- George Karl (SAC) +280
- Lionel Hollins (BRK) +300
- Byron Scott (LAL) +400
- Derek Fisher (NYK) +400
- Randy Wittman (WAS) +500
- Steve Clifford (CHA) +700
- David Blatt (CLE) +800
- Dwane Casey (TOR) +1000
