Houston Chronicle beat writer Jonathan Feigen believes the significant number of available NBA head coaching positions could potentially force the Rockets to act more quickly in their current search.
In 2016, the Rockets began their search shortly after being eliminated from the playoffs in late April. That search went on for about a month, with multiple rounds of interviews and at least a dozen candidates who were interviewed at some point. Even with those who weren’t hired, GM Daryl Morey and the rest of his front office viewed it as a valuable opportunity to make contacts and pick the brain of top candidates.
While Mike D’Antoni was reportedly one of the team’s top options for weeks, a formal agreement wasn’t reached until late May.
The Rockets might not have the same luxury, however, when it comes to the timetable of their 2020 search. In a recent appearance on the Red Nation Hoops podcast with Salman Ali, Feigen explained why:
I know they’d like to do a wide net, with tons of interviews. The reason they might not be able to: Let’s say [hypothetically]… that they focus on Ty Lue. Kind of like they did last time — they focused very early on Mike D’Antoni.
If they do that this time, you might be competing with other teams. It’s not certain who the best job is. Sometimes the Rockets are the best job, and you can make a case that they are. But [what about] the Sixers? The Pacers? The Pelicans? Let’s say they focus on Ty Lue. Do they have to move quickly, to try and get him? That’s one of the reasons Mike stepped away. Don’t wait two weeks to start your search.
.@Jonathan_Feigen on Mike D'Antoni stepping away from the Rockets and how the organization will conduct their coaching search.
Listen to the full podcast here:https://t.co/xWsu2Nwsy1 pic.twitter.com/ofUuKCQBFE
— Red Nation Hoops (@RedNationHoops) September 17, 2020
Feigen mentioned Lue, who worked in the 2019-20 season as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Clippers, and Brooklyn’s Jacque Vaughn as potential candidates near the top of Houston’s 2020 wish list.
Vaughn is currently the top assistant for the Nets underneath new coach Steve Nash, but he was their interim head coach late in the 2019-20 season after the dismissal of Kenny Atkinson. Vaughn’s performance was met with rave reviews by his players and others around the league.
ICYMI: Steve Nash praised Jacque Vaughn explaining how he couldn’t think of a better person to work alongside with – calling him a ‘high character individual.’
Vaughn will play a big role to help mold Nash as a head coach.
My latest for @NetsDaily. https://t.co/acfWiKMlXu
— Chris Milholen (@CMilholenSB) September 10, 2020
Meanwhile, Lue was previously a head coach with the Cavaliers over parts of four different seasons. He led Cleveland to its only NBA championship in 2016, and was well regarded for his relationships with superstar players like LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love.
Shortly after Houston’s job opened on Sunday, Feigen compiled an extensive list of potential candidates, with Lue and Vaughn among the headliners. The Rockets could be competing for many of those names with Philadelphia, Indiana, New Orleans, and even Oklahoma City — who pushed the Rockets to seven games in the first round of the playoffs before moving on from former head coach Billy Donovan.
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Rockets' coaching options: Start with Tyronn Lue or Jacque Vaughn, consider some familiar faces and look hard at a bevy of top assistants https://t.co/2caTfQWOnp
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) September 14, 2020