Mike Dunlap fired as Bobcats head coach

Mike Dunlap was fired on Tuesday as head coach of the Charlotte Bobcats. (Marc Serota/Getty Images)

The rash of firings continue in the NBA, one week after wrapping up the regular season. On Tuesday, the Charlotte Bobcats announced that the team has parted ways with first-year head coach Mike Dunlap, who was hired in June 2012 as the fifth head coach in franchise history. The team, coming off an all-time NBA worst winning percentage of .106 (7-59) last season, finished this year with a 21-61 record.

According to a statement issued by the team via its Twitter account on Tuesday afternoon, Bobcats president of Basketball Operations Rod Higgins met with General Manager Rich Cho to talk about changes and ultimately decided that a new coach was needed. There was no immediate comment from team owner Michael Jordan but Higgins said the search for a new coach will begin immediately:

"Rich Cho and I conducted our season-ending review and met with Coach Dunlap to reflect on this season.  As an organization, it was decided that we needed to make a change with the head coach position. We want to thank Mike for his contribution and wish him the best in his future endeavors."

Some of the lottery-bound teams have wasted no time in moving forward with a new coach for next season; the 24-58 Cleveland Cavaliers parted ways with Byron Scott last week and the Detroit Pistons decided not to retain head coach Lawrence Frank after finishing 29-53 this season. Doug Collins also announced at the end of the season that he would not return as head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers.

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