Every NBA Coaching Staff for 2026-27: Head Coaches and Primary Staff

Six NBA teams changed head coaches before the 2026-27 season. Many more changed the coaches who will sit beside them, run their offense or defense, develop players and turn film into the next game plan.

That second group matters. The head coach sets the direction, but the primary staff makes the system work every day. One assistant may design the defense. Another may own the offense, shooting program, advance scouting or player development. A former head coach can help manage pressure and late-game decisions. A video coordinator may be the person who first identifies the pattern that changes a playoff series.

Below is a guide to all 30 NBA teams as of September 19, 2026. For each team, we look at the head coach, primary staff and how the pieces fit together. Staff titles can still change before opening night, especially in video, development and G League roles.

What “primary staff” means

NBA teams do not always publish exact responsibilities. Two people may both be called assistant coach even when one coordinates the defense and the other focuses on player development. In this guide, primary staff means the coaches closest to the NBA team’s daily basketball work:

• Lead or associate assistants who act as the head coach’s main partner
• Offensive and defensive specialists who build schemes and game plans
• Player-development and shooting coaches who own individual improvement
• Video and scouting leaders who prepare film, tendencies and opponent reports
• G League coaches with NBA duties who connect prospects to the main team
• Advisors and former head coaches who add experience without always occupying a traditional front-bench role

The names matter, but staff balance matters more. The best benches combine tactical knowledge, teaching, player trust and someone willing to challenge the head coach.

The six new head coaches

• Chicago Bulls: Tiago Splitter
• Dallas Mavericks: Dusty May
• Milwaukee Bucks: Taylor Jenkins
• New Orleans Pelicans: Jamahl Mosley
• Orlando Magic: Sean Sweeney
• Portland Trail Blazers: Micah Nori

May, Sweeney and Nori will begin their first NBA seasons as head coaches. Splitter enters Chicago after coaching 81 games as Portland’s acting head coach. Jenkins and Mosley bring previous NBA head-coaching experience.

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

Boston Celtics

Head coach: Joe Mazzulla Primary staff: Sam Cassell, Tony Dobbins, D.J. MacLeay, Amile Jefferson, Matt Reynolds, Ross McMains and Tyler Lashbrook. Craig Luschenat directs player development, while Phil Pressey coaches the Maine Celtics.

Cassell is the experienced front-bench voice and former NBA guard. The rest of the group combines continuity, player development and coaches who already understand Mazzulla’s terminology. Luschenat and Pressey connect NBA development work to Maine rather than treating the G League as a separate operation.

Staff read: Boston is built for refinement. The staff does not need to install a new identity; it needs to find small tactical advantages and keep development moving inside a contender.

Brooklyn Nets

Head coach: Jordi Fernández Primary staff: Steve Hetzel, Juwan Howard, Jay Hernandez, Dutch Gaitley, Deividas Dulkys, Ryan Forehan-Kelly, Connor Griffin, Corey Vinson and Travis Bader.

Brooklyn signed Fernández and the full staff to multiyear extensions in April. Howard adds college head-coaching experience, Hetzel brings a long NBA résumé, and Bader represents the video-and-development pathway.

Staff read: The extensions show how Brooklyn is evaluating this group: teaching, system growth and player improvement matter more than one rebuilding-season record.

New York Knicks

Head coach: Mike Brown Primary staff: Chris Jent, Brendan O’Connor, Mark Bryant, Rick Brunson, Darren Erman, T.J. Saint, Riccardo Fois, Charles Allen and Maurice Cheeks.

Erman is a major defensive voice. Jent has extensive offensive and shooting experience. Cheeks gives Brown another former NBA head coach and Hall of Fame guard, while Fois adds international and development experience.

Staff read: The defending champions have specialists on both sides of the ball and enough senior experience to challenge the head coach. This bench is designed for playoff adjustments, not a rebuild.

Philadelphia 76ers

Head coach: Nick Nurse Primary staff: Bryan Gates, Coby Karl, Doug West, Mike Longabardi, Matt Brase and Rico Hines. Phil Handy was also reported as a 2026 addition.

Longabardi supplies defensive experience, while Hines is strongly associated with player development. Gates and Brase give Nurse experienced tactical support. Handy would add another hands-on development coach with championship experience.

Staff read: Philadelphia is trying to combine veteran game-planning with detailed skill work. The staff can prepare a contender, but player health will still set the ceiling.

Toronto Raptors

Head coach: Darko Rajaković Primary staff: Stephen Silas, Pat Delany, Jama Mahlalela, Matt Vest, Jeremy Castleberry, Ivo Simović, Vin Bhavnani, Eric Khoury, Jim Sann and Mery Andrade.

Silas joins Delany and Mahlalela on the front bench and gives Rajaković a former NBA head coach beside him. Vest’s promotion from video and player development keeps an internal pathway open. Castleberry returns after seven years with the Clippers and brings familiarity with Toronto’s organization.

Staff read: Toronto has one of the league’s clearest blends of senior experience, continuity and internal promotion.

Central Division

Chicago Bulls

Head coach: Tiago Splitter (new) Primary staff: Wes Unseld Jr., Blake Ahearn, Jamelle McMillan, Rex Kalamian, Jonah Herscu and Taj Gibson. Martin Rancik is senior player-development coach; Jordan Brink is assistant coach and director of player development.

Unseld is the only assistant retained from Billy Donovan’s group and gives Splitter continuity plus former head-coaching experience. Kalamian is the defensive specialist. Herscu brings G League head-coaching experience, while Gibson moves directly from a 17-year playing career to the bench.

Staff read: Splitter has coverage experience, a trusted organizational bridge and coaches who can connect with a young roster. Chicago’s first improvement should appear in defensive habits and individual development.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Head coach: Kenny Atkinson Primary staff: Johnnie Bryant, Mike Gerrity, Andrew Olson, Jawad Williams, Nate Reinking, Omar Cook and Trevor Hendry.

Bryant is the prominent lead voice. Gerrity and Reinking bring G League and development experience, matching Atkinson’s own reputation as a teacher. Several members of the staff can work comfortably with guards and offensive structure.

Staff read: Cleveland does not need a new regular-season system. The primary staff’s challenge is producing more adaptable offense when playoff opponents take away the first option.

Detroit Pistons

Head coach: J.B. Bickerstaff Primary staff: Luke Walton, Sidney Lowe, Jerome Allen, Jarrett Jack, Fred Vinson, Kevin Burleson, Vitaly Potapenko, Greg Smith, Jordan Sabourin, Josh Estes and Steve Scalzi.

Walton gives Bickerstaff another former head coach. Vinson is known for shooting development. Jack and Burleson can work naturally with guards, while Potapenko adds frontcourt experience.

Staff read: This is no longer only a rebuilding bench. After a 60-win season, Detroit has the experience and role coverage to manage expectations and postseason problems.

Indiana Pacers

Head coach: Rick Carlisle Primary staff: Lloyd Pierce, Jim Boylen, Jenny Boucek, Jannero Pargo, Maurice Baker and Isaac Yacob.

Pierce and Boylen are former NBA head coaches. Boucek brings experience across NBA and WNBA environments, and Pargo offers a recent-player perspective with guards. Johnny Carpenter left for Milwaukee, but the senior core remains deep.

Staff read: Indiana can divide responsibilities without asking one assistant to cover everything. Carlisle’s bench is built around accumulated experience during a transition season.

Milwaukee Bucks

Head coach: Taylor Jenkins (new) Primary staff: Darvin Ham, Pat St. Andrews, Vince Legarza, Brad Jones, Johnny Carpenter, T.J. Ford and Schuyler Rimmer. Jack Herum and Isaiah Wilkins hold assistant/player-development roles; Nshan Kenjoian is head video coordinator.

Ham is the senior assistant and continuity piece. Carpenter arrives from Indiana with development and technology experience. Ford reconnects the staff to Bucks history and can work closely with guards. Rimmer and several others came through video and development roles.

The job changed after Jenkins was hired: Milwaukee traded Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to Miami in July.

Staff read: This is now a teaching bench. Jenkins and Ham provide leadership, while the rest of the group is structured to develop players and establish a post-Giannis identity.

Southeast Division

Atlanta Hawks

Head coach: Quin Snyder Primary staff: Igor Kokoškov, Mike Brey, Antonio Lang, Bryan Bailey, Ekpe Udoh, Jeff Watkinson, Ryan Schmidt, Sanjay Lumpkin and Jason Love. Ettore Messina is coaching consultant; Sergi Oliva is basketball strategy and development advisor.

Messina brings four EuroLeague titles and decades of tactical experience. Oliva combines coaching, front-office work and analytics, including a Ph.D. in computational complexity. Kokoškov and Brey add more senior offensive knowledge, while Udoh offers a player-development connection.

Staff read: Atlanta’s bench may be the league’s most intellectually varied—NBA, college, EuroLeague, front office and analytics all meet around Snyder’s system.

Charlotte Hornets

Head coach: Charles Lee Primary staff: Lamar Skeeter, Josh Longstaff, Blaine Mueller, Jermaine Bucknor, Matt Hill, Ryan Frazier, Zach Peterson, Kemba Walker, Kyle Neptune and John Bryant.

Walker is the recognizable player-development voice for guards. Longstaff and Skeeter bring broad NBA teaching experience, while Bryant joins a large group built to provide more individual attention.

Staff read: Charlotte is investing in development capacity. The measure of this staff will be whether young players make better decisions and become more dependable, not simply whether the team adds a few wins.

Miami Heat

Head coach: Erik Spoelstra Primary staff: Chris Quinn, Caron Butler, Malik Allen, Eric Glass, Octavio De La Grana, Wayne Ellington and Vin Baker.

Quinn is Spoelstra’s established front-bench partner. Butler and Allen provide former-player credibility, Ellington has a natural shooting-development profile, and Baker adds another experienced former player and assistant.

The staff’s new challenge is tactical: Antetokounmpo changes Miami’s spacing, transition offense and late-game choices.

Staff read: Miami did not rebuild the bench because the system is trusted. The primary staff now has to redesign that system around a uniquely dominant interior player.

Orlando Magic

Head coach: Sean Sweeney (new) Primary staff: Joe Prunty, Greg Buckner, Popeye Jones, Tom Bialaszewski, Riley Crean, Jon Harris, Ben Johnson, Jacqlyn Poss and Mfon Udofia. D.J. Bakker is assistant coach and director of player development; Shannan Lum is assistant and director of coaching operations.

Sweeney coordinated a San Antonio defense that improved from 25th to third. Prunty is the experienced offensive counterweight. Buckner and Jones bring defense and development, Bakker owns a clear development brief, and Harris followed Sweeney from San Antonio’s video operation.

Staff read: The roles complement the head coach. Sweeney owns the defensive identity, Prunty helps solve the offense, and a large development group supports a young roster.

Washington Wizards

Head coach: Brian Keefe Primary staff: Adam Caporn, Patrick Ewing, J.J. Outlaw, T.J. Sorrentine, Alexis Ajinça, James Fraschilla and Cody Toppert. Steve Clifford serves as coaching advisor.

Caporn becomes the lead assistant as David Vanterpool moves into the front office. Ewing supplies frontcourt knowledge and head-coaching experience. Toppert moves up from the Capital City Go-Go, while Clifford adds another senior voice without taking a standard bench role.

Staff read: Washington connects NBA coaching, veteran advice and the G League. That is the right structure for a young team whose priority is teaching.

Western Conference

Northwest Division

Denver Nuggets

Head coach: David Adelman Primary staff: David Joerger, Jared Dudley, J.J. Barea, Mike Moser, Andrew Munson, Chase Buford, Ognjen Stojaković, John Beckett, Elvis Valcarcel and Rodney Billups.

Joerger is the experienced lead assistant and former Memphis and Sacramento head coach. Dudley and Barea bring recent-player perspective. Stojaković and Beckett preserve institutional knowledge, while Austin Dufault was added in an assistant/player-development leadership role.

Staff read: Adelman now has a proven second voice for difficult playoff decisions without losing continuity around Nikola Jokić’s offense.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Head coach: Chris Finch Primary staff: Pablo Prigioni, Elston Turner, Kevin Hanson, Chris Hines and Jeff Newton, with development coaches working beneath the main bench.

The major change is Micah Nori’s departure for Portland. Prigioni becomes even more important as an offensive voice, while Turner supplies defensive experience. Newton’s path through quality control and the G League reflects Minnesota’s preference for internal development.

Staff read: Finch’s system remains, but the staff hierarchy must reset without his longtime lead assistant.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Head coach: Mark Daigneault Primary staff: Connor Johnson, Dave Bliss, David Akinyooye, Eric Maynor, Grant Gibbs, Mike Wilks and Zoe Vernon.

The important departure is shooting specialist Chip Engelland, now in Houston. The remaining staff reflects Oklahoma City’s collaborative model: development, experimentation and shared tactical work rather than one celebrity assistant.

Staff read: The Thunder trust their internal process. Shooting progress is the area to watch after losing Engelland.

Portland Trail Blazers

Head coach: Micah Nori (new) Primary staff: Jay Triano, Mike Williams, Quinton Crawford, Gilbert Abraham and Leron Black. Pooh Jeter and Jason Luhnow are player-development coaches; John Townsend remains shooting coach; Nate Bjorkgren becomes special assistant.

Triano gives a first-time head coach a veteran tactician and former head coach he already knows. Williams arrives from Utah. Crawford, Townsend and several development coaches preserve continuity from last season’s playoff team.

Staff read: Portland chose evolution rather than a reset. Nori gets experience above him, development beneath him and enough holdovers to protect winning habits.

Utah Jazz

Head coach: Will Hardy Primary staff: Chad Forcier, Scott Morrison, Jason Terry, Sean Sheldon, Steve Wojciechowski, Chris Jones and Andrew Warren.

Mike Williams left for Portland. Terry offers guard development and recent-player credibility. Forcier and Morrison bring long NBA résumés, while Wojciechowski adds college head-coaching experience.

Staff read: Utah still has a development-first bench. The staff will be judged by progress, role clarity and discovering useful lineups more than immediate playoff results.

Pacific Division

Golden State Warriors

Head coach: Steve Kerr Primary staff: Frank Vogel, Ron Adams, Bruce Fraser, Kris Weems, Anthony Vereen, Jacob Rubin, Khalid Robinson, Seth Cooper and Nicholas Kerr.

Terry Stotts and Jerry Stackhouse did not return after holding major offense and defense responsibilities. Vogel arrives as associate head coach with extensive defensive and head-coaching experience. Adams remains a respected defensive mind, while Fraser has a long relationship with the team’s shooting development.

Staff read: Golden State replaced two major voices with a former championship head coach. Vogel is both a defensive reset and a senior partner for Kerr.

LA Clippers

Head coach: Tyronn Lue Primary staff: Jeff Van Gundy, Brian Shaw, Dahntay Jones, Jay Larrañaga, Shaun Fein, Chris Holguin, Tim Dather, Conor Dunleavy and Larry Drew.

Jeremy Castleberry left for Toronto, but Lue still has one of the league’s most experienced benches. Van Gundy, Shaw and Drew can all contribute high-level tactical and game-management experience.

Staff read: The Clippers are built for playoff problem-solving. The coaching coverage is deep; roster health remains the problem no staff can control.

Los Angeles Lakers

Head coach: JJ Redick Primary staff: Nate McMillan, Scott Brooks, Bob Beyer, Greg St. Jean, Lindsey Harding, Beau Levesque and Zach Guthrie.

McMillan and Brooks give Redick two former NBA head coaches. Harding adds development and head-coaching experience from the G League and WNBA pathways. Guthrie was promoted after leading South Bay to a 26-10 record and will oversee player development.

Staff read: The Lakers balance Redick’s modern tactical approach with veteran game management and a stronger G League-to-NBA development connection.

Phoenix Suns

Head coach: Jordan Ott Primary staff: Brian Randle, Chaisson Allen, DeMarre Carroll, Jesse Mermuys, John Little, Mike Muscala and Sean Dwyer.

Carroll and Muscala bring recent-player experience. Randle and Mermuys add broader NBA coaching backgrounds, while the rest of the staff supports development and preparation around Ott.

Staff read: Phoenix is giving Ott continuity after year one. This group needs to turn talent into repeatable two-way habits rather than begin another reset.

Sacramento Kings

Head coach: Doug Christie Primary staff: Mike Woodson, Brendan Suhr, Mike Miller, Chris Darnell, Leandro Barbosa, D.J. Ham, Joe Ajike, Jason Maxiell, Garrius Adams and Ernie DeLosAngeles.

Woodson and Suhr give Christie senior experience. Ham was promoted after leading player development and represents the video-to-bench pathway. Maxiell also earned a larger role after working with Stockton, while Barbosa and Miller offer former-player connections.

Staff read: Sacramento has both experienced advisors and internally promoted teachers—important support for a head coach still establishing his program.

Southwest Division

Dallas Mavericks

Head coach: Dusty May (new) Primary staff: Willie Green, Garrett Temple, Joe Boylan, Drew Williamson, Mody Maor, Rob Fodor and Sam Hershberger. Nate Mitchell is both Mavericks assistant and Texas Legends head coach; Tyson Chandler and Quincy Acy remain in player development.

Green is the lead assistant and former Pelicans head coach. Williamson follows May from Michigan and Florida Atlantic, preserving the head coach’s offensive language. Temple moves from a 16-year playing career to coaching. Fodor brings two decades of Miami shooting and development work, while Maor adds international experience.

Staff read: Dallas did not ask May to learn the NBA alone. Every major risk in hiring a college coach is addressed by somebody on the primary staff.

Houston Rockets

Head coach: Ime Udoka Primary staff: Ben Sullivan, Royal Ivey, Cam Hodges, Garrett Jackson, Robbie Lemons, Josh Bostic, Will Dunn and Chip Engelland.

Sullivan and Ivey remain important tactical voices around Udoka. Engelland is the major addition and one of the league’s best-known shooting coaches. Houston’s young guards and wings give him a direct, measurable assignment.

Staff read: Houston already owns a defensive identity. Adding Engelland targets shooting—the skill most likely to raise the team’s postseason ceiling.

Memphis Grizzlies

Head coach: Tuomas Iisalo Primary staff: Ryan Saunders, Jason March, Brian Collins, Darnell Lazare and Erik Schmidt.

Saunders gives Iisalo a former NBA head coach, while March and others bring G League and organizational experience. That matters around a head coach whose reputation was built on pace, spacing and European offensive concepts.

Staff read: The primary staff is the translation layer between Iisalo’s ideas and NBA execution. Memphis is treating him as a long-term head coach, not an interim solution.

New Orleans Pelicans

Head coach: Jamahl Mosley (new) Primary staff: God Shammgod, Bret Brielmaier, Dale Osbourne, Randy Gregory, Mike Hopkins, Jodie Meeks, Greg Monroe and Brendon Demas.

Mosley brought Shammgod, Brielmaier, Osbourne and Gregory from Orlando. Hopkins, Meeks, Monroe and Demas stayed from the previous Pelicans group. Shammgod is a prominent skill-development coach, while Meeks and Monroe provide recent-player perspectives.

Staff read: This is a deliberate hybrid. Mosley gets trusted coaches who know his defensive standards while retaining assistants who know the roster and organization.

San Antonio Spurs

Head coach: Mitch Johnson Primary staff: Billy Donovan, Corliss Williamson, Matt Nielsen, Mike Noyes and Scott King.

Sean Sweeney left for Orlando after coordinating a defense that improved from 25th to third. Donovan replaces him as lead assistant, bringing two NCAA titles, Hall of Fame credentials and 11 NBA seasons as a head coach. Williamson and Nielsen preserve frontcourt and organizational continuity.

Staff read: San Antonio reached the Finals and then added a lead assistant with decades of pressure experience. Donovan is there to help close playoff series, not rebuild fundamentals.

The primary-staff trends shaping 2026-27

Former head coaches are becoming trusted No. 2s

Willie Green in Dallas, Billy Donovan in San Antonio, Frank Vogel in Golden State, Darvin Ham in Milwaukee, Stephen Silas in Toronto and Wes Unseld Jr. in Chicago all fit the pattern. They know how to manage rotations, losing streaks, media pressure and playoff adjustments. For first-time head coaches, that experience is insurance. For established coaches, it provides a credible voice who can disagree.

Specialists are becoming easier to identify

Houston hired Engelland for shooting. Orlando paired defensive coach Sweeney with offensive veteran Prunty. Chicago placed Kalamian’s defensive experience beside Splitter. Portland retained Townsend as shooting coach. Teams still use broad “assistant coach” titles, but the actual portfolios are increasingly specialized.

Player development is moving onto the front bench

Toronto promoted Vest. Sacramento elevated Ham. Washington moved Toppert from the Go-Go to the NBA staff. Milwaukee hired several assistants with video and development histories. Development is no longer only pregame drills; it is connected directly to rotation decisions and game planning.

Video staffs remain the coaching farm system

Many assistants learned the league by logging possessions and cutting film. That work teaches them which actions repeat, which coverages fail and how a head coach communicates. The route from video room to development coach to assistant remains one of the NBA’s strongest coaching pipelines.

The G League is connecting staffs, not just rosters

Mitchell will coach the Texas Legends while assisting Dallas. Guthrie moved from South Bay to the Lakers. Toppert moved from Capital City to Washington. Pressey’s Maine role is tied to Boston’s development system. Those jobs create shared language between the NBA team and its prospects.

Early predictions based on the full staffs

These are projections, not reported facts.

• Orlando will finish with a top-10 defense. Sweeney owns that side of the ball, while Prunty and the development group can focus on fixing the offense.
• Dallas will improve more after December than before it. Williamson can install May’s language; Green, Temple and Fodor can translate it to NBA players.
• Chicago’s first gains will appear in defensive film and net rating. Splitter, Kalamian and Unseld form a clear coverage group.
• Portland will remain in the play-in race. Nori inherited continuity, added Triano and kept dedicated development and shooting roles.
• San Antonio will return to the conference finals if healthy. Donovan adds the high-pressure experience a young Finals team needed.
• Houston’s shooting will be one of the easiest staff impacts to measure. Watch catch-and-shoot efficiency, free throws and the confidence of the young perimeter players working with Engelland.
• One of this year’s senior assistants will become a head coach by 2028. Green, Vogel, Donovan, Unseld, Silas and Ham will all be visible candidates when vacancies open.

What coaches at every level can learn

A complete staff does not need famous names. It needs clearly owned work:

• An offensive voice
• A defensive voice
• A player-development lead
• A shooting or skill specialist
• A scouting and film lead
• A trusted assistant who can challenge the head coach

The best NBA staffs are filling gaps. Sweeney is defense-first, so Orlando added Prunty’s offensive experience. May is new to the NBA, so Dallas added Green. Nori inherited a playoff team, so Portland retained continuity and added Triano. Milwaukee entered a rebuild, so Jenkins assembled teachers.

The same principle applies to a school, academy or club. The titles and budget change; the work does not. Somebody still has to prepare the scout, develop the players, organize the film and turn statistics into a practice plan.

Film is often where staffs lose the most time. Coaches should decide what a possession means—not stay up all night counting who shot, where the attempt came from and who was on the floor.

Playtics turns game video into both teams’ box scores, shot zones, minutes, plus-minus and player highlights. The staff keeps the basketball decisions. The repetitive counting is ready before the next practice.

Want to spend more time coaching and less time tagging film? Tell us how your team records games.

Sources and reporting note

Staff lists were checked against official NBA and team roster pages, official 2026-27 staff announcements, the NBA Coaches Association and a leaguewide staff tracker. Reported additions that had not appeared on a complete official roster by September 19 are described as reported rather than finalized. Staffs can still change before opening night.