Tag: Stephen Silas

Stephen Silas reflects on leaving Rockets, wants best for his players

“All I have ever wanted for those young men is to be put on a road to success,” Stephen Silas told @BigSargeSportz after his final #Rockets game. “No matter if it is with me or not.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Standing in the hallway outside the visiting locker room inside Capital One Arena, I noticed a person approaching. It was someone I was very familiar with and someone who was on an emotional roller coaster after the Houston Rockets had defeated the Wizards to conclude their 2022-23 NBA season.

As the person got closer, I could see the range of emotions he vehemently tried to hide the last week or two from anyone that was around him. Gone was the customary big smile he always displays and his usual positive demeanor.

Stephen Silas looked like a shell of himself after addressing his players and the media regarding the imminent decision — namely, the team would not extend his head coaching contract after three seasons with the franchise.

“What’s up, coach,” I said with the usual tone and energy I greet him with. “What’s going on, my man,” he responded, trying to be as upbeat as possible. We exchanged pleasantries for a brief moment, knowing it would be our last time speaking in person for a while.

Once that was done, I asked Silas a question that I originally mentioned weeks ago. With his fate already determined, I wanted him to speak as himself, and not as head coach of the Rockets.

“Do you feel like you were given a fair chance to succeed these last three years,” I asked him.

“This organization gave me an opportunity for my dad to see me as an NBA head coach before he passed,” Silas responded. He added:

Was I put in a perfect situation? No. But when you get hired as a new coach, most often, that means that something must have gone wrong previously for the old coach not to be in the position anymore.

The circumstances changed drastically from the day I got hired to the first couple of weeks of the season. Were they fair? I would say they were not, but I adjusted because the players were counting on me to get things done and lead them.

Silas led the team to a franchise-worst 59-177 record (.250) during his tenure with the Rockets. Still, those numbers can be deceiving when you consider the circumstances, starting with the departure of two former MVPs, James Harden and Russell Westbrook. Ultimately, Silas used 43 different lineups in his first season’s 72 games.

The next two years were about Silas teaching young men — some of whom were born after he started his coaching career — how to play in the NBA, all while also teaching them life lessons off the court and how valuable it is to carry yourself in a confident manner.

Even with better on-court play and cohesiveness displayed over the season’s final month by beating some 2023 playoff teams, including the Denver Nuggets, the Western Conference’s top team, Silas’ destiny had already been determined, and the players knew that.

They watched as their owner, Tilman Fertitta, yelled out, “Pray for Victor,” during a televised interview earlier this year. That was in reference to Victor Wembanyana, a 7-foot-4 forward who has been hailed by many fans and analysts as the best NBA draft prospect since LeBron James entered the league 20 years ago.

“Coach (Silas) has been there for me more than a lot of people will ever know,” one Houston player said after Sunday’s game.

“I know that this is a business, but it is tough watching what he has been through by losing his dad and the turmoil of this season,” he added. “I knew this day was going to come. That man gave his all. He sacrificed a lot to help us. The lessons I learned from him will always be with me, even when I am no longer in the NBA.”

A familiar smile came across Silas’ face as I relayed that message and others I had gathered from players and coaches.

“All I have ever wanted for those young men is to be put on a road to success,” said Silas. “No matter if it is with me or not. They have some bright futures, and I hope I instilled something in them that they can carry throughout life. I never spoke about the adversity I went through these last three years, but they knew.”

In the middle of our conversation, a team member yelled that the bus was about to leave. That meant our last in-person conversation during his time as head coach of the Rockets was coming to an end. “Good luck with your future endeavors,” I said as we shook hands.

“I will see you down the road; this is not goodbye,” Silas told me. “We will definitely talk again.” I knew we would, but obviously less consistently than we have over the past three years.

On Monday, the team made it official: They had declined Silas’ 2023-24 option. With that, a new coaching search is underway. While players on the roster will undoubtedly be open to a new leadership voice, the bar will be quite high when it comes to replicating Silas’ personal touch in and around the locker room.

“Our culture is we work really hard, and we support one another,” general manager Rafael Stone said at Monday’s press conference regarding Silas. “I think this team has done that very well. That is largely a function of Stephen and what he’s done on that. Culture, in particular, is a very coach-driven thing, and I want to give Stephen his credit. I think he did a very good job on that front.”

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Key takeaways as Rafael Stone explains departure of Stephen Silas, new Rockets coaching search

#Rockets GM Rafael Stone met with the media Monday to discuss Houston’s coaching search and its decision to part ways with Stephen Silas. Here’s our look at key takeaways.

HOUSTON — Hours after making the departure of head coach Stephen Silas official, Rockets general manager Rafael Stone met with members of the media at Toyota Center to explain the decision.

Stone and Silas were hired to their leadership roles in the 2020 offseason, but only Stone will remain in place as Houston proceeds to the next phase of its rebuilding plan.

In Monday’s press conference, Stone addressed the team’s reasoning for its decisions, as well as criteria that he and owner Tilman Fertitta will use during the process to find a replacement.

As an exit interview of sorts, Stone also offered his analysis on the recently completed 2022-23 season for the Rockets, along with early insight on other important aspects of the 2023 offseason — such as the May draft lottery, the NBA draft itself in June, and a crucial free agency period where Houston should have approximately $60 million in cap space.

Scroll on for quotes, videos, and key takeaways from Stone’s extended session with media members at Toyota Center.

Rockets confirm departure of Stephen Silas, thank him for his service

The #Rockets made the departure of Stephen Silas official Monday, with general manager Rafael Stone thanking him for three seasons of work.

Monday’s formal meeting between general manager Rafael Stone and head coach Stephen Silas finalized one of the NBA’s worst-kept secrets. The Houston Rockets aren’t picking up the fourth-year team option on the contract of head coach Stephen Silas.

After being hired in November 2020, Silas finished his three seasons as head coach with a 59-177 record (.250), and the Rockets were among the league’s worst three teams in all three years.

While those lowly records under Silas largely reflected Houston’s transition to a young roster as part of a rebuilding plan, it’s clear the front office and ownership believes a new leadership voice would help entering a critical 2023 offseason with significant salary cap space and a 2023-24 season in which more wins are clearly desired.

In an announcement released midday Monday, Stone said:

On behalf of the Fertitta family and the entire Rockets organization, I would like to thank Stephen for his contributions to the team and the Houston community over the past three seasons. I have great respect for Stephen both as a person and as a basketball mind. His character, leadership and positivity have been invaluable during this stage of our growth.

With the 2022-23 regular season complete, Stone will meet with media members later in the day as part of exit interviews for the team. That will bring his first on-the-record comments regarding the search to replace Silas, which is officially underway.

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Rockets finish 2022-23 season on winning streak behind rookies Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason

#Rockets rookies Jabari Smith and Tari Eason flourished Sunday in Washington as Houston (22-60) finished its 2022-23 season with three straight wins and four of five, overall.

In the final game of the NBA’s 2022-23 season for both teams, the Rockets rallied to defeat the Wizards on Sunday, 114-109 (box score). Both teams were short-handed, as expected, in a regular-season finale with no playoff implications, with Houston (22-60) resting Kevin Porter Jr. and Washington (35-47) holding out big names such as Bradley Beal, Kyle Kuzma, and Kristaps Porzingis.

With the road victory, the rebuilding Rockets finished the season with three straight wins and four of their last five, overall. However, that wasn’t enough to save the job of head coach Stephen Silas, whose team finished with one of the NBA’s three worst records (and maximum draft-lottery odds) in each of his three years in Houston.

Besides sitting Porter, the Rockets gave only limited minutes to starting center Alperen Sengun (12 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists) and guard Jalen Green (14 points, 4 assists, 50% FG), who sat out late. Houston did, however, let its 2022-23 rookies play usual minutes.

Jabari Smith Jr. led the way for the Rockets with 20 points and 5 rebounds on 6-of-11 shooting (54.5%), including 7-of-8 on free-throws (87.5%), while Tari Eason had 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists on a matching 6-of-11 line. Second-year guard Josh Christopher started in place of Porter and had 13 points and 4 assists on 6-of-10 shooting (60.0%), while veteran big man Boban Marjanovic added 10 points (71.4% FG) and 6 rebounds in only 13 minutes.

Jordan Goodwin led the Wizards with 22 points and 5 assists on 8-of-14 shooting (57.1%) and 3-of-8 from 3-point range (37.5%).

Scroll on for highlights, postgame interviews, and reaction from Houston fans and media members. With their season complete, next up for the Rockets are exit interviews to recap the year and preview the offseason. A schedule for those has yet to be released.

Reports: Rockets targeting Ime Udoka, Kenny Atkinson, Frank Vogel, Nick Nurse as coach

With a premium placed on proven coaching experience, Ime Udoka, Kenny Atkinson, Frank Vogel, and Nick Nurse are among the top candidates to replace Stephen Silas. #Rockets

Shortly after the Houston Rockets (22-60) won Sunday’s 2022-23 season finale at Washington, one of the NBA’s worst-kept secrets became public knowledge: Stephen Silas is out as head coach.

The Athletic’s Shams Charania and ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski were among numerous national reporters to break the news.

Silas, who finished his Houston tenure with a 59-177 record (.250) and one of the league’s bottom-three records in each of his three seasons, will not have his team option picked up for the 2023-24 season. While the Rockets may have moved on from Silas, regardless of future financial obligations, the fact they were able to do so while not paying two coaches next season made it convenient timing.

“The Rockets believe a coaching change is necessary for the next stage in their multi-step process toward sustainable success, and are prioritizing a more established coach as the next hire,” Charania and colleague Kelly Iko wrote in The Athletic.

While Houston’s lowly records under Silas are largely a result of the franchise’s transition to extreme youth and a rebuilding emphasis following James Harden’s forced departure in January 2021, the reality is that as a first-time hire for the lead job, Silas has yet to prove himself a winning head coach in the NBA.

That made sense for the Rockets and general manager Rafael Stone when Silas was hired in October 2020, since at that time, Houston had a veteran roster led by two former MVPs in Harden and Russell Westbrook. They also had no salary cap room to use externally, so the primary focus was on maximizing internal resources.

But in 2023, with minimal proven talent and approximately $60 million in salary cap space this offseason, having an established coach could bolster Houston’s appeal on the market.

That’s likely why, per Wojnarowski, leading candidates for the job include Toronto’s Nick Nurse (should he decide to leave the Raptors) and Golden State assistant Kenny Atkinson, along with former Boston coach Ime Udoka and Frank Vogel of the Lakers. Each of those men has advanced to the NBA Finals within the past four years and has multiple years of NBA head coaching experience.

Scott Brooks, currently a lead assistant in Portland after a long run in Oklahoma City that included a trip to the 2012 NBA Finals (alongside potential Rockets free agency target James Harden), is also a candidate in Houston, per Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated. Ex-Hornets coach James Borrego and Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin are among further possibilities, per Charania and Iko.

Here’s a look at what we know of Houston’s impending coaching search so far, along with early reaction to the news.

Rockets at Wizards: Sunday’s lineups, injury reports, broadcast and stream info

Sunday’s 2022-23 finale at Washington could be the end of the road in Houston for Stephen Silas, whose #Rockets enter with three wins in their last four games.

With approximately $60 million in salary cap room in the 2023 offseason and another high draft pick on the way, it isn’t clear what the 2023-24 roster of the rebuilding Houston Rockets will look like. But with veterans on the way and future draft obligations owed to Oklahoma City, it’s clear the expectations will be much higher.

“I think we’re kind of coming to the end of the first stage of it,” Rockets general manager Rafael Stone told ESPN regarding the state of his franchise’s rebuild. In that sense, Houston’s 2022-23 season finale at Washington could be the end of an era, particularly for third-year head coach Stephen Silas. He is in the last year of his contract and is not likely to return next season, according to recent reports.

So, as Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., and the rest of the young Rockets look to transition to the next stage, can they wrap up Stage 1 with a feel-good victory? That’s what they will attempt to do on Sunday afternoon at Washington, where Houston enters with two straight wins and three in its last four games.

The Rockets will be short-handed. Point guard Kevin Porter Jr. (sore right knee) will sit out in a development that (coincidentally or not) also helps Houston’s offseason salary cap room. The Wizards have key absences, as well, including Bradley Beal.

Alperen Sengun grabs career-high 21 rebounds as Rockets edge Hornets

Led by a career-high 21 rebounds from Alperen Sengun, the #Rockets won their second straight game and third of four, overall, on Friday night in Charlotte. Their season finale is Sunday.

In their second-to-last game of the NBA’s 2022-23 season, the young and rebuilding Houston Rockets won their second straight and third of four overall, in Friday’s 112-109 win (box score) at Charlotte.

Relative to 2021-22, the biggest improvement for the Rockets (21-60) has come in rebounding, where they rank near the top of the league on a per-game basis after ranking dead last a season ago. That growth was visible at Charlotte (26-55), where second-year big man Alperen Sengun had 14 points and a career-high 21 rebounds. His streak of five straight double-doubles is the first of Sengun’s career.

Young Rockets guards Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green matched each other with 26 points apiece, which were game highs. Porter made 7 of 13 shots (53.8%) and 2-of-5 from 3-point range, while Green hit 9-of-22 overall (40.9%) and 3-of-8 on 3-pointers (37.5%). Porter also connected on 10-of-12 free throws (83.3%).

Rookie forward Jabari Smith Jr. had 13 points and 3 blocks, making 6-of-11 shots (54.5%) and 1-of-2 from 3-point range (50%). KJ Martin added 14 points and 6 rebounds on 7-of-10 shooting (70%).

Svi Mykhailiuk led the Hornets, who were without marquee players LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier and Gordon Hayward due to injury, with 25 points and 5 assists while making 5-of-14 from 3-point range (35.7%). As a team, Charlotte hit eight 3-pointers in the fourth quarter compared to just one for the Rockets, which nearly allowed them to send the game to overtime.

Scroll on for highlights, postgame interviews, and reaction by Houston fans and media members. Houston will end its season on Sunday at Washington, with the tip set for noon Central.

Report: Rockets plan to part ways with Stephen Silas next week

“Barring a last-second change, I expect the #Rockets to move on, very soon, from Stephen Silas as head coach,” says Houston Chronicle columnist Brian T. Smith.

The NBA’s 2022-23 regular season ends on Sunday, and it may not take long for major changes to happen with the Rockets.

Per columnist Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle, the Rockets are likely to part ways with head coach Stephen Silas within the next few days. Here’s a portion of what he said in Friday’s appearance on SportsTalk 790, the team’s official flagship radio station:

Barring a last-second change, I expect the Houston Rockets to move on, very soon, from Stephen Silas as head coach. It could happen next week. That is the plan.

They would have fired Silas last year. They would have fired him this year. But it didn’t make any sense to do that, just from a competitive, rebuilding standpoint. They let this play out. They wanted it to work, and they were hoping it would work.

If you have a .244 winning percentage, which is insanely low … even if I can explain everything, in the end, he pays the price.

The full interview can be listened to below. Unlike Silas, general manager Rafael Stone, who took over in the 2020 offseason, only weeks before Silas got his job, will remain in place.

While the Rockets have finished with one of the NBA’s worst three records in each of Silas’ three seasons, there are obvious extenuating circumstances. Notably, Silas was hired in November 2020 when Houston had a veteran-laden roster led by former MVPs James Harden and Russell Westbrook. Within months, they had transitioned to a rebuild with numerous players age 21 or younger.

Silas was signed to a three-year contract with a team option for a fourth season, which means this is the last year Silas is owed a guaranteed salary from the franchise. If the Rockets want to go a different direction, there’s a clear path for them to do so.

“What I always did hear about Silas was that they wanted more discipline,” Smith said on SportsTalk 790. “They wanted more intensity, and they wanted him to push the players harder. Not to react so negatively to losses, and to kind of being above everything.”

With approximately $60 million in salary cap space, there is an argument to be made that a coach with more winning experience might make Houston more desirable on the offseason market. This is Silas’ first stint as an NBA head coach, and while the win-loss records are largely out of his control, the fact remains he hasn’t yet won at a high enough level to draw attention around the league. Thus, the team could bolster its appeal with a more proven option.

Starting next week, it appears the process to try and find that option could begin at Toyota Center. Nick Nurse, who won the NBA championship in 2019 as head coach of the Toronto Raptors, appears to be one such candidate for the Rockets. Stay tuned!

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Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. grateful for time with Stephen Silas

“He helped me to be grounded and helped me be comfortable with being uncomfortable,” Kevin Porter Jr. says of his bond with #Rockets coach Stephen Silas. “He is a dope person.”

HOUSTON — “Bring it in,” said the familiar voice behind the black curtain that separated the media from the court at the Toyota Center. “Great work today, fellas.”

The voice was Rockets head coach Stephen Silas, who had just finished conducting his final 2022-23 regular season practice on the team’s home court.

It could also be the last time he touches the wooden floors at the Toyota Center as Houston’s head coach.

Before the Rockets played their final home game versus Denver on Tuesday, Silas alluded to the fact it could be his last home game because his contract expires at the end of this regular season.

“I found strength in myself that I didn’t necessarily know that I had,” Silas said. “I am proud of the job that I’ve done. I have a three-year contract, and this is the last home game of my three years, so whatever happens, happens after this, I can’t be anything but proud.”

If Silas’ tenure does end after the final game on Sunday in Washington, starting point guard Kevin Porter Jr. is one player who will miss him significantly.

“Everyone knows by now my relationship with Silas,” Porter said after Thursday’s practice. “He has been someone that welcomed me from day one, and it just built from that.”

“I am glad I got the chance to build our relationship and have a relationship with a man and a person like that, first and foremost,.” Porter told reporters. “Playing under a coach like that who cares about his players more than anything. It was a blessing to have that relationship and contain that relationship.”

Houston acquired Porter from the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for a protected second-round draft pick in January 2021. He was selected in the first round with the No. 30 pick of the 2019 NBA draft following his freshman season at USC.

The opportunity with the Rockets was a new start for Porter, who had encountered off-court issues in Cleveland.

“A lot of things were happening,” Porter said of that time. “He helped me to be grounded and helped me be comfortable with being uncomfortable. He is very mellow, so he taught me how to maneuver through this whole process. He is a dope person.”

Silas’s tenure with the Rockets has been unstable, leading to his 57-177 record with two games remaining in the 2022-23 regular season. Yet, he cherishes his time spent with his group of young men, whose oldest starter is Porter at 22 years old.

“It has been fun and a great experience,” Silas said to reporters when asked about his leadership and guidance. “It is something that I will treasure for my whole life. Being a part of this organization, being in this stage with these young guys.”

“They want to be coached, want to be taught, and want to be mentored at times. I am thankful for all the people who poured into me, so I could pour back out to them. It has been a rough year as far as a lot of things, but I am so proud of these guys and their growth.”

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Rockets at Hornets: Friday’s lineups, injury reports, broadcast and stream info

Can Stephen Silas make a late push to keep his job? With weekend games in Charlotte and Washington, it certainly can’t hurt if Houston finishes 2022-23 on a winning streak.

As the NBA’s 2022-23 season enters its final weekend for the Rockets, the future of head coach Stephen Silas is unclear. For Houston’s players who clearly want Silas to retain his job, could a winning streak to close the year potentially help that cause?

The Rockets enjoyed a feel-good victory with Tuesday’s unexpected blowout of Denver. On paper, they have an opportunity to build on that with a weekend road trip to Charlotte and Washington, two Eastern Conference teams eliminated from playoff contention who have nothing to play for but pride.

With Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green leading the way, the Rockets enter with two wins in their last three games. On the other side, the Hornets have lost three straight, each by 20 or more points, and most of their expected rotation is listed on the injury report.