The Houston Rockets coach have interest this offseason in former NBA head coach Tom Thibodeau, according to the New York Post.
Thibodeau served as head coach with the Chicago Bulls from 2010 to 2015 and the Minnesota Timberwolves from 2016 to 2019. He was the top assistant in Houston for former head coach Jeff Van Gundy from 2004 through 2007, which overlapped with the hiring of GM Daryl Morey.
Here’s what Marc Berman writes about Thibodeau, as it pertains to the Rockets. He reports that the Knicks and Brooklyn are also in play:
While his reputation took a hit with the failure in bringing Jimmy Butler to Minnesota and allegedly mishandling young talent, sources told The Post the Nets and Houston will have strong interest, too. Houston’s Mike D’Antoni will be a free agent.
It appears Thibodeau would have interest in all three jobs.
#Knicks would get first crack at highly coveted Tom Thibodeau but #Nets, #Rockets may consider him too despite Minnie fail https://t.co/xvLm7HAq9r
— Marc Berman (@NYPost_Berman) May 5, 2020
Led by a pair of former NBA MVPs in James Harden and Russell Westbrook, Houston would appear to offer a better opportunity for Thibodeau to win immediately than New York. The Rockets are 40-24 this season, whereas the rebuilding Knicks are 21-45.
The Nets are 30-34, but there’s a clear pathway for them to improve next season, assuming All-Stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving return to health.
When Houston’s job was last vacant in 2016, the Rockets were reported to have had interest in Thibodeau before ultimately hiring D’Antoni.
The Rockets, I'm told, are highly intrigued by the structure and discipline Tom Thibodeau could instill after a season of slippage in both.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) April 13, 2016
D’Antoni’s contract expires after the 2019-20 season, and public talks about an extension with the Rockets last summer did not result in a deal. He’ll turn 69 years old this Friday, making D’Antoni one of the NBA’s oldest coaches, though he says he wants to coach several more years.
The 62-year-old Thibodeau has a 352-246 record (.589) as an NBA head coach. He was the league’s Coach of the Year in 2011 with the Bulls. Highly regarded as a defensive strategist, Thibodeau is a stylistic contrast with D’Antoni — who is known best for his innovative offenses.
D’Antoni has collected a 213-97 record (.687) over four regular seasons in Houston, with his winning clip the best of any coach in team history.
He has a record of 23-16 (.590) in three playoff runs, representing the top playoff winning percentage in franchise history. The Rockets have won at least one playoff series in all of his completed seasons.
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