The Rockets have been granted permission to interview Sixers assistant coach Sam Cassell for their head coaching vacancy, a person with knowledge of the situation tells Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscriber link).
The Rockets and Cassell are still working on scheduling the interview, according to Feigen. Houston began its search for a new lead coach this week after declining to pick up its option on the fourth year of Stephen Silas‘ contract.
A former NBA player, Cassell was a one-time All-Star point guard and won three championships — including two with Houston — during his 16-year career (he was technically still active in 2008/09, though he didn’t appear in a game). He spent his first three seasons with the Rockets from 1993-96.
This is Cassell’s 14th season as an assistant coach and third with Philadelphia, having made previous stops with the Wizards and Clippers. He has worked under Doc Rivers for the past nine years.
The Rockets reportedly intend to look at about eight or nine candidates for the job, and many of them have already been identified. Cassell was not previously mentioned.
Feigen reports that the Rockets don’t plan to hire anyone before they interview all of the targets on their initial list. He writes that list could expand should other candidates become available — Raptors coach Nick Nurse has been mentioned multiple times as a possible target.
Former Lakers coach Frank Vogel has already interviewed for the job, and so has former Celtics coach Ime Udoka, per Feigen. The Rockets have also been granted permission to interview Suns assistant Kevin Young, Feigen adds — it was previously reported that they were still trying to secure permission.
He deserves an interview and perhaps a shot. But sure he will not get it.
Why won’t he get a shot?
He is saying he deserves the interview but won’t get the job. The rockets want someone that has experience harnessing talent. Too bad they couldn’t hire poppivich or Sloan, udoka is the best bet having worked in a system that knows how to look ahead
Yes thank you I understand what tex is saying but tex seems to conclude he won’t be hired and I was just wondering why tex thought that. I like your explanation why, it seems to make sense. Thank you.
The wizards need to get him.
Udoka or nurse come on rockets don’t mess this up
You can have Nurse LOL. Leave Ime for us (Toronto).
Cool. They’ll interview a bunch of people, I’m sure. Not much of a story.
You gotta quit commenting like every story is breaking news, these guys go in depth with as much info as they can. Even if there were sixteen candidates and someone got hired but a 17th popped up after the fact, it’s neat to find out. It’s especially neat when no one knew about it, and you get to hear kids like you act like you deserve more than you get off sports center cuz….reasons?
Be as snarky as you want, you’ll never be the fan that gets insider woj bombs before woj. Ask Drake lol.
Whoa whoa this is not an indictment of Luke or any of the fine folks at HR they do an excellent job. Never said that. Just in the scheme of things it’s not major news. It’s news – 100%, just not major. No reflection on the reporter, just the story.
No, no, no!!!! Please hire Doc and leave Cassell to replace him
My friend that is up to PHI to fire Doc & hire Cassell, right?
You can’t expect HOU to do your job for you, come on dude!
No on Doc Rivers I would love Cassell. But who knows what Stone is looking for or such. I know with my earlier post. Silas deserved a shot but was not given a fair one. If he had Harden and company what could he have done. I wish Cassell luck. But clear want to check all that cam. But am curious would Doc Rivers be done with the 76ers if they did not get out of first round. Cassell could take them over but if Ime is answer would you take him before he goes elsewhere. But again we shall see where the Rockets go
Silas is an awful coach, I wouldn’t let him near my U12 team.
Silas was the nba version of Jason Garrett. Just claps when his players make mistakes. No player growth under him. Even with harden and Westbrook he wouldn’t have done much
Doc Rivers regular season record
2021 – 1 seed
2022 – 4 seed
2023 – 3 seed
Rockets need regular season
For the regular season, Clippers Rivers has been top tier coach from 2013-2019
Top 3 seeds
The key word is “need”. Based on the need.
The immediate need for Rockets is that someone who can take the team to the top 4 seed in the regular season. (Mike Brown like coach)
Someone is Doc Rivers.
He should’ve already had a coaching job. Sam has the perfect resume and the right qualities
Why hasn’t Sam Cassell received a head coaching job yet? What are the right qualities that Sam Cassell possesses?
Rockets want Cassell to lure HARDEN
The harden boat has sailed. Harden will never be a rocket again. They are slowly recovering from the Harden Rockets
Not sure who I would want to be head coach of the rockets. Doc rivers seems logical choice from a need stand point. This team won’t win unless these young guys learn defense. Doc Rivers could be that man to get them over the hump
Gotta love Sam!
HOU’s FO sat back for 3 years and watched Silas babysit this group, with the only possible results. They knew, or should have known, no real coaching was going on. Hopefully, for the HOU fanbase, it was a deliberate sabatoge of the team and its players, depriving them of a real coach, in the name of high draft picks. Otherwise, its incompetence on a frightening level, and the odds of them getting the next hire right are almost nil.