Mike Woodson and Tyrone Corbin lost their jobs, and Rick Adelman decided it was time to walk away from his.
Woodson and Corbin were fired Monday and Adelman retired, creating coaching openings for three NBA teams.
Woodson was expected to be replaced after Phil Jackson was hired last month as New York Knicks president during a disappointing season for a team that expected to make the playoffs. He informed Woodson and the entire coaching staff they were being dismissed Monday morning.
“The coaches and players on this team had an extremely difficult 2013-14 season, and blame should not be put on one individual. But the time has come for change throughout the franchise as we start the journey to assess and build this team for next season and beyond,” Jackson said in a statement.
Woodson went 109-79 with the Knicks, a .580 winning percentage that ranks behind only Pat Riley and Jeff Van Gundy in franchise history. But after winning 54 games and the Atlantic Division title last season, the Knicks were just 37-45.
The Jazz had no such expectations for this season after the departures of Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap, but declined to offer Corbin a new contract after they went 25-57. Corbin, a former Jazz player and assistant who replaced Jerry Sloan on Feb. 10, 2011, went 112-146.
“This has not been an easy decision, but after a thorough review process, we as an organization feel that this is the best decision for our franchise moving forward,” general manager Dennis Lindsay said.
Adelman won more than 1,000 games in 23 seasons, but the Minnesota Timberwolves were a disappointing 40-42 this season. He wanted to spend more time with wife Mary Kay, who has been treated for seizures over the last two years, and also thinks the Wolves need a fresh voice to help them try to persuade star power forward Kevin Love to remain in Minnesota.
“If anything, I felt if I coached another year and then his future comes up and my future is gone, that makes it even harder,” Adelman said. “I think it’s best for the organization to have somebody else coaching the team, give them a year to see what they can do and hear that voice. I think that’s a much more positive situation for the organization. I feel strongly about that.”
The Detroit Pistons are still looking for a full-time coach after firing Maurice Cheeks during the season, and the Los Angeles Lakers could decide to replace Mike D’Antoni after going 27-55 during an injury-plagued season.
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