Report: Houston Rockets Finalizing Deal To Hire Mike D’Antoni As New Head Coach

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

The Houston Rockets went from the Western Conference Finals to out of the NBA playoffs entirely in one year’s time. Superstar James Harden also suffered the same kind of drop-off individually with Rockets franchise player being a legitimate NBA MVP candidate last season and this year failing to be named to even the All-NBA Third Team.

Along with drastic changes throughout the season including the firing of head coach Kevin McHale in the first half of the season, the Rockets brass has chosen to go with an interesting choice for their new head coach. It appears Mike D’Antoni will be the new leader on the sidelines for Houston, according to Calvin Watkins of ESPN:

The Rockets are finalizing a deal to make Mike D’Antoni their next head coach, according to multiple sources.

Ever since leaving the Phoenix Suns in 2008, D’Antoni headed into a downward spiral with the innovator of “seven seconds or less” struggling to find the success he once had with Steve Nash as his star player. D’Antoni ultimately resigned as the head coach of the New York Knicks after starting the 2011-12 NBA season with an 18-24 record and a public feud with star forward Carmelo Anthony.

D’Antoni’s fortunes seemed to change a bit when the Los Angeles Lakers decided to hire the former Knicks coach as Mike Brown’s successor. Although Phil Jackson was willing to return for another stint to coach Kobe Bryant and company, the Lakers went with D’Antoni giving him another opportunity to be a success in a major market.

Unfortunately, D’Antoni’s stay in Los Angeles was another stain on his resume. The Suns legend failed to rally an incredibly talented Lakers squad led by Bryant, Pau Gasol, Dwight Howard, and Nash. D’Antoni resigned two years into his contract with the Lakers and after a short stint as an assistant with the Philadelphia 76ers, D’Antoni will give it another shot as the head coach of the Rockets.