Challenges for new coaches in Eastern Conference

Jason Kidd will try to dial up immediate championship contention for the expensive, star-laden Nets.

Steven Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images

To get familiar with all of the new faces, let's break down each hire. We already examined the five new coaches in the Western Conference. Now let's evaluate the eight new coaches in the East.

Mike Budenholzer worked nearly two decades with Gregg Popovich in San Antonio.

Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images

Bottom line: Budenholzer admits that he's not a "sexy hire" -- but he is a sound one. Not only was he one of the most accomplished candidates on the market, but he also appears to be a perfect fit for a Hawks team in search of a new identity.

Former Butler coach Brad Stevens received a six-year, $22 million deal with the Celtics.

Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images

Bottom line: Kidd's first-year record won't be a very good indicator of the job he's done because the Nets are bound to win regular-season games in bunches regardless of who's on the sideline. A better barometer will be how Brooklyn does against Miami, Indiana and Chicago -- the East elite, a club Brooklyn desperately wants to join.

New Bobcats coach Steve Clifford has worked under Stan and Jeff Van Gundy and Mike D'Antoni.

Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images

Mike Brown is back for a second stint in Cleveland, where he went 272-138 from 2005-10.

Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images

Bottom line: The Cavaliers are a team on the rise and Brown could be the one to help them take the next step, particularly on the defensive end. He has experience handling a superstar, a solid relationship with the enigmatic Bynum and plenty of knowledge about the organization. The match makes so much sense, you start to wonder why they ever broke up in the first place.

Maurice Cheeks is getting a third chance as an NBA head coach.

Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images

Bottom line: None of the Pistons' past three coaches -- Lawrence Frank, John Kuester and Michael Curry -- lasted more than two seasons. To break that trend, Cheeks likely will need to succeed immediately. Pistons president Joe Dumars, who is in the last year of his contract, is clearly intent on halting a four-year playoff drought after doling out a combined $78 million for Smith and Jennings. A failure to make the postseason would be considered a disappointment.

New Bucks coach Larry Drew led the Hawks to three consecutive playoff appearances.

Doug Pensinger//Getty Images

Bottom line: General manager John Hammond said the Bucks "really want to start focusing on the youth of this team," an approach that apparently wasn't in play when Milwaukee traded an intriguing 21-year-old prospect, Tobias Harris, for a 29-year-old impending free agent, Redick, to solidify their playoff position. In any event, the success of building a promising core begins with Drew's work with rookie forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, 18; Knight, 21; power forward John Henson, 22; and center Larry Sanders, 24.

Brett Brown (left) spent the last 11 years working for Gregg Popovich in San Antonio.

Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images

Bottom line: Brown was smart to push for a fourth guaranteed year on his contract; it's going to take some time for the Sixers to construct a winning roster. In the meantime, Brown can put his player-development skills to good use with Carter-Williams, Noel and potentially two lottery picks in the 2014 draft.