The Brooklyn Nets recently made a splash with their head coaching vacancy by hiring Hall of Fame point guard Steve Nash, who since his playing days had only worked as a part-time consultant for Golden State.
It doesn’t seem as if the Houston Rockets are open to a similar move as part of their search to replace outgoing head coach Mike D’Antoni.
Led by James Harden and Russell Westbrook, who are each 31 years old, the Rockets have a clear emphasis on winning now. GM Daryl Morey is leading the search, and with a goal of making a championship push next season, Houston doesn’t seem interested in on-the-job training.
Per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle:
They are focusing on former head coaches and top assistants and will not look at any former player taking his first job, as with the Nets’ selection of Steve Nash.
New #Rockets at #TXSN – Doc Rivers hits coaching market, and Rockets are interested https://t.co/iRZyfJJcoT
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) September 29, 2020
According to Feigen, current candidates for the Rockets are believed to include former Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers; Clippers assistants Ty Lue and Sam Cassell; former Brooklyn head coach Kenny Atkinson; Dallas assistant Stephen Silas; Denver assistant Wes Unseld Jr.; and former Houston head coach Jeff Van Gundy.
There is no clear timetable for a hire to be made.
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