HOUSTON – The Houston Rockets have conducted exhaustive interviews to find a new head coach and the appear to have focused in on two candidates: Sixers associate head coach Mike D'Antoni and Hornets assistant coach Stephen Silas.
Each has met with the team on multiple occasions and impressed enough for the team to begin discussions about make-up of their respective staffs should they be the Rockets ultimate choice for head coach.
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Silas had a meeting Thursday with Rockets owner Leslie Alexander after previously meeting with the team last week.
Silas has no NBA head coaching experience other than a few games at the end of the 2012 season when he was serving as an assistant under his father, Paul Silas, with the Charlotte Bobcats.
Silas was acting head coach for several games as the season came to a close. He has previously served as summer league coach for both Charlotte and Cleveland previously.
It is thought the Rockets would like bring in a strong veteran coach to be a lead assistant under Silas. One possibility is Lionel Hollins, who previously was interviewed for a similar role on Kevin McHale's staff prior to the 2014-15 season when Houston was looking to replace Kelvin Sampson.
Hollins instead became the head coach for the Brooklyn Nets, but was fired in January of this past season after compiling a 48-71 record. He also served as head coach of the Grizzlies for a couple of stints over seven seasons, producing a 214-201 record.
D'Antoni is looking to grab his fifth head coaching job after previously coaching the Nuggets, Suns, Knicks and Lakers. His career mark is 455-426.
Houston has had discussions with several potential assistant coaches to serve under D'Antoni who is well known for his high-powered offenses.
Current Memphis assistant Jeff Bzdelik and Raptors assistant Rex Kalamian are believed to be under consideration for spots on a potential D'Antoni staff.
Several interesting factors involving a potential D'Antoni-led staff, D'Antoni was an assistant coach on the 2012 London Olympic team that included James Harden.
Harden spent the first three seasons of his career with the Thunder, while Kalamian was an assistant coach.
The head coach search for the #Rockets appears to be focused on two people. What do you think about the options? Join the convo with KPRC 2 Adam Wexler and KPRC2 Simone Eli.
Posted by KPRC2 / Click2Houston on Friday, May 20, 2016