Coaching: the sports world's most fickle profession. Or have you so quickly forgotten Lon Kruger, Sidney Lowe, John Lucas and others who went down this season?

Alvin Gentry got hit, too, unable to overcome self-inflicted wounds. So did Rick Carlisle after a winning season. Paul Silas was broomed in New Orleans after guiding his Hornets to four consecutive postseason finishes, mostly with teams that were badly wounded.

Toronto gave Lenny Wilkens $5 million just to go away. And because there is little fairness in this business, it will not be a surprise if the Hawks oust interim coach Terry Stotts and install Mike Dunleavy as soon as the sale of the team is official. It doesn't matter that Stotts did a commendable job restoring a measure of respect to a battered franchise.

There are other interesting quirks to this profession: Mike Fratello walked away from an opportunity with New Orleans when he was believed to have a lock on the job. According to one insider, the Hornets played it cheap, and Fratello wasn't buying. Fratello can end up with the Clippers, but they could be cheaper than the Hornets.