Mike D’Antoni tells Houston he is out, will not return as coach

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/report-mike-d-antoni-telling-183534953.html



Mike D’Antoni tells Houston he is out, will not return as coach



Kurt Helin
NBC Sports

September 13, 2020, 2:35 PM EDT



Mike D’Antoni wants to coach next season in the NBA, but that will not be in Houston.

As had been rumored across the league all season, Mike D’Antoni is out will not be returning to Houston as coach next season. His contract is up and he is meeting with Rockets management to tell them he is moving on, a story broken by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. D’Antoni released a statment through Woj.


Adrian Wojnarowski
@wojespn
Mike and Laurel D’Antoni statement to ESPN on departure from Rockets


D’Antoni leaving is not a surprise, going back to efforts last offseason by Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta to extend D’Antoni’s contract that led to hard feelings on both sides.

Walking away from Houston makes D’Antoni a free agent as a coach. He has been linked to the Pelicans and coaching Zion Williamson already, as well as the Pacers’ open position. Wojnarowski adds the 76ers into that mix.


Adrian Wojnarowski
@wojespn
D’Antoni will be considered among a group of candidates for the Philadelphia 76ers coaching opening, sources tell ESPN. D'Antoni was an assistant for several months under Brett Brown before accepting the Rockets job four years ago.

Adrian Wojnarowski
@wojespn
ESPN Sources: Houston coach Mike D’Antoni is informing the franchise’s ownership today that he’s becoming a free agent and won’t return to the Rockets next season.

It also opens up the Houston Rockets’ job.

Jeff Van Gundy has been rumored to be in the mix for that job, but whether Houston can lure him out of the broadcast booth remains to be seen. If not, Clippers assistant and former Rocket player Sam Cassell could be in the mix.

It will fall to Rockets’ GM Daryl Morey — who is not going anywhere — to find someone who buys into his vision of an attacking, small-ball team. With the financial situation of this roster — nearly the entire salary cap wrapped up in just James Harden, Russell Westbrook, and Eric Gordon for three more seasons — the Rockets are committed to this style of play for the immediate future. They need a coach who can make it work.


bob
MY NOTE:  Mike Antoni (no "D") got the team he wanted, he got an entire team of small-ballers.  He traded away Clint Capela who, while limited offensively, was an effective rim-runner and rim protector.  Now that his shell-game fraud of an approach to basketball has been laid bare, he leaves.  I cannot wait to see how Joel Embiid plays under a coach who thinks bigs, any bigs, are dinosaurs.  Better spend every day, all day, on the treadmill and stationary bike, Joel, because if you aren't running on every possession, both ways, you're going to get sat. And you can forget about posting defenders up. You would exist in Antoni's world simply as bait for doubles, and then you'll be expected to pass it out to the arc.


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https://www.yahoo.com/sports/next-houston-rockets-coach-five-023902673.html



Who is next Houston Rockets’ coach? Five names to watch.



Kurt Helin
NBC Sports

September 13, 2020, 10:39 PM EDT



The Houston Rockets are keeping Daryl Morey as GM and remain all-in on small-ball (in part because James Harden wants it).

However, the godfather coach of small ball lineups just walked out the door.

Mike D’Antoni is gone in Houston, and he is leaving behind some serious challenges in Houston. The next coach is going to have to deal with Harden as he nears free agency (2022), getting Russell Westbrook to play within his skill set, and a roster that needs more perimeter defenders if they are going without much rim protection.

Who is in line for the Rockets’ job? Here are five coaches whose names have some buzz in league circles as the owner Tilman Fertitta and Morey start the coaching search.


1) Jeff Van Gundy
He was being mentioned as a potential replacement for D’Antoni back while the coronavirus had the season on hiatus, then his name was the first to come up when it was learned the job was open. Van Gundy was the Rockets’ coach when Morey first arrived in Houston, and he has long been a guy who praised Harden. Van Gundy is seen as a defensive coach, which Houston needs, but his offenses were slow and deliberate, not exactly fitting the current small-ball roster. Also, is Fertitta going to back up the Brinks truck to get Van Gundy out of the broadcast booth?


2) Sam Cassell
Another name that came up not long after the job became vacant. The Clippers’ assistant coach under Doc Rivers is a former Rockets player (he won two rings there) and someone who has been near the front of the line of assistant coaches deserving a top job for a while. Current Rocket Austin Rivers played under Cassell in Los Angeles and has praised him as a skills development. He has never been a head coach before, do the Rockets want to take that risk with Harden in his prime?


3) Tyronn Lue
His name comes up in every job search, but for good reason — he relates to players and he’s coached a team to a title. When Lue was available as an assistant last year (before choosing Doc Rivers and the Clippers, where he and Cassell both are) Morey and the Rockets reportedly recruited him for D’Antoni’s staff. The questions are money, and can they get him. Lue has been tied to the Philadelphia 76ers job as a frontrunner, but New Orleans and others are interested as well. If Houston is going to land Lue they will have to pay top dollar and give him some power in the organization.


4) Kenny Atkinson
The Brooklyn Nets coach is a name that comes up as the Rockets look to develop players around Harden, Westbrook, and Eric Gordon (the three of them eat up the majority of the salary cap space for the next three years). Atkinson did a fantastic job as a player development guy, but star players chaffed under his leadership style — and Houston is all about its stars. Atkinson also is linked to Chicago and other job openings around the NBA, he will be in demand.


5) Stephen Silas
The current Mavericks’ assistant coach came close to getting the Houston job four years ago when D’Antoni was hired. He is working with a Dallas team that had the best offense in the NBA this season, which fits the Rockets’ style. Also, Pelicans’ assistant Chris Finch could be in this mix of assistants getting the first chance, but only if the Rockets go that direction.


bob


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Hi,
What about SVG? Or he's done-done with coaching.

AK

D’Antoni is a bad fit for the Sixers as they are built along traditional lines of half court low post offense.

I think NOLA could be a decent fit provided they do not give him too much power to make trades.

Wherever he goes that team will be a poor defensive team and unlikely to win big time.

Trading Capela has to rank up there as one of the worse moves made by a team that was set to challenge in the West.

The rockets job has to be a bad one because of their roster.

I'm not sure why any coach or GM in this league would think you could make a viable playoff run with your tallest player being 6'7.



KJ

dboss wrote:D’Antoni is a bad fit for the Sixers as they are built along traditional lines of half court low post offense.

I think NOLA could be a decent fit provided they do not give him too much power to make trades.

Wherever he goes that team will be a poor defensive team and unlikely to win big time.

Trading Capela has to rank up there as one of the worse moves made by a team that was set to challenge in the West.  

The rockets job has to be a bad one because of their roster.

D’Antonio already ruined that team by trading/getting rid of Capella, the 2 stars don’t have enough help, rest of roster does not have much value. He’s a lousy coach, his system doesn’t work.

cow I opened up zoom

dboss wrote:cow I opened up zoom

Had to watch my Giants