Rudy Tomjanovich’s tenure with the Lakers was short, just 43 games, but it’s not the shortest of a Laker head coach who started the season with the team — he actually had a longer tenure than three others. HoopsAnalyst compiled a list of NBA coaches gone in their first year and they found this from the Lakers:
Los Angeles Lakers, 1979-80: Jack McKinney, 10-4
Minneapolis Lakers, 1957-58: George Mikan, 9-30
Minneapolis Lakers, 1959-60: John Castellani, 11-25
McKinney, if you remember, was the former Jack Ramsey assistant who loved the running game and was brought in to take advantage of Magic’s talents in the 1979-80 season. However, early on he barely survived a bicycle accident (riding to play tennis with assistant coach Paul Westhead). He never returned as Laker coach and Westhead went on to win a title that season. McKinney retuned to coach the Indiana Pacers the next four years (making the playoffs once and being named NBA coach of the year in 1981) then he went to the Kansas City Kings in 1984, but lasted just nine games at the start of the season (going 1-8).
HoopsAnalyst listed other notable one-year coaches such as:
Philadelphia 76ers, 2003-04: Randy Ayers, 21-31
Chicago Zephyrs, 1962-93: Jack McMahon, 12-26
Chicago Bulls, 1977-78: Larry Costello, 20-36
Cleveland Cavaliers, 1979-80: Bill Musselman, 25-46
Sacramento Kings, 1987-88: Bill Russell, 17-41
San Antonio Spurs, 1983-84: Morris McHone, 11-20
San Antonio Spurs, 1992-93: Jerry Tarkanian, 9-11
Seattle SuperSonics, 1977-78: Bob Hopkins, 5-17