This Year's Playoffs Could Set a Bad Precedent

Is firing winning coaches this late into the season really that good of an idea?

If I had a nickel for every time I thought Shams got hacked this season, I’d have three nickels. That isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened thrice.

First came the Luka Doncic trade, which was a catastrophic event that will have implications for the entire next generation of the NBA. Next came two separate reports that, in a vacuum, are less impactful but may end up causing further chaos later down the line.

Of course, I’m talking about the firings of Taylor Jenkins and Mike Malone.

Both oustings, which came historically late in the season, resulted in two coaches who were once deemed current franchise legends being sent to the NBA’s preliminary coaching carousel, despite their — once again — legendary performance for each respective franchise. You could go ahead and ask why, but there seems to be a better question that has yet to be answered.

What happens if it pays off?