Every head coach to win the NBA Finals since 2015 has been fired except Steve Kerr
As it turns out, winning a championship only goes so far as to help job security if you’re an NBA head coach.
After the Bucks moved on from coach Mike Budenholzer on Thursday, each coach who has won an NBA championship since 2015 except Golden State’s Steve Kerr is no longer with their respective teams.
Following an elimination during the play-in tournament in the Eastern Conference, despite leading them to their first championship in franchise history, the Raptors moved on from Nick Nurse last month.
Ty Lue, who won a title with the Cavaliers in 2016, was fired by Cleveland in 2018. Although he won a championship in 2020, meanwhile, the Lakers fired Frank Vogel in 2022.
| COACH | TEAM | YEAR | STATUS |
| Steve Kerr | Golden State Warriors | 2015 | |
| Ty Lue | Cleveland Cavaliers | 2016 | Fired (Oct. 2018) |
| Steve Kerr | Golden State Warriors | 2017 | |
| Steve Kerr | Golden State Warriors | 2018 | |
| Nick Nurse | Toronto Raptors | 2019 | Fired (Apr. 2023) |
| Frank Vogel | Los Angeles Lakers | 2020 | Fired (Apr. 2022) |
| Mike Budenholzer | Milwaukee Bucks | 2021 | Fired (May 2023) |
| Steve Kerr | Golden State Warriors | 2022 |
The news about Budenholzer may not come as a surprise, though, after Milwaukee’s epic collapse against the Heat during the first round of the playoffs.
Nurse, as well as Milwaukee assistant Charles Lee and Golden State assistant Kenny Atkinson, are considered the top candidates to replace Budenholzer in Milwaukee.