Former Houston Rockets player Matt Bullard won’t be returning to his usual role of television broadcaster during the 2021-22 season, but that doesn’t mean that he’s done with the NBA. Far from it, in fact.
Bullard tells Zach Allen of The Dream Shake that he’s in talks with several teams about a potential management role. “One of the things I know about life is the only constant in life is change,” the 54-year-old said. “For me, moving on from TV and looking to get into management, and I’ll tell you there are several teams that I’m currently talking with. For me, it’s a welcome change, and I’m looking for a new challenge.”
Bullard points to Brent Barry, Shane Battier, and Rudy Tomjanovich as examples of former NBA players who successfully became front office members, and he would love to follow that path. He explains:
I’m trying to follow the same path that guys like Brent Barry, Shane Battier, and even what Rudy T is doing right now with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Those guys are blazing a path for guys like me to be in the front office, so we can (be a bridge) between the analytics and the basketball side. Sort of be a translator, trying to help the basketball guys to understand the analytics are telling us. Also, trying to figure out from the basketball guys what questions need to be answered.
“And for me, moving on from TV and looking to get into management, and I’ll tell you there are several teams that I’m currently talking with, and for me, it’s a welcome change and I’m looking for a new challenge.” –@bull50 #Rockets
— Zach Allen (@RenzoTheDon) June 13, 2021
Bullard, who won an NBA championship as a reserve forward with Houston’s first title team in 1993-94, did not say if the Rockets — whose front office is led by general manager Rafael Stone — are one of the teams that he’s currently in talks with. Elsewhere in the interview, Bullard expressed an openness to potential coaching roles, as well.
The complete Q&A between Allen and Bullard can be read here.
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