James Borrego paid a steep price for the Charlotte Hornets' 132-103 defeat to the Atlanta Hawks in the play-in tournament.

The Hornets announced Friday they fired the head coach.

Borrego ultimately finishes with a losing record (148-183) in Charlotte but guided the Hornets to 43 wins in 2021-22. That that wasn't good enough to save Borrego's job certainly sends a message about the organization's aspirations.

Ownership and the front office may prefer to pivot to a head coach with a proven track record in the NBA. If that's the case, then Frank Vogel immediately leaps out as a possible candidate given his success with the Indiana Pacers and Los Angeles Lakers.

Should the Utah Jazz suffer another disappointment in the postseason, head coach Quin Snyder could perhaps contemplate a move elsewhere. Should the 55-year-old look for an exit plan, he'd presumably be a prime target for the Hornets, who have interviewed him before.