Houston Rockets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

James Borrego To Meet With Rockets' Owner

May 24th, 2016 at 12:36pm CST by Luke Adams

As the Rockets continue to scour the market for their next head coach, Spurs assistant James Borrego appears to have emerged as a serious candidate for the job. According to ESPN’s Marc Stein (via Twitter), Borrego, who interviewed with Houston on Monday, will have a second meeting with the team later this week. That second interview will include owner Les Alexander, Stein reports.

Borrego’s second meeting with the Rockets doesn’t come with any guarantees, as Houston is also believed to be considering Magic assistant coach Adrian Griffin, Sixers assistant Mike D’Antoni, and Hornets assistant Stephen Silas for its head coaching opening. Still, Borrego remains in the mix for now.

Warriors To Interview Tibbetts For Top Assistant Job

May 23rd, 2016 at 1:28pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Warriors will interview Trail Blazers assistant Nate Tibbetts today for their top assistant coaching job, league sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical.

Tibbetts and Hornets assistant Stephen Silas are two of the serious candidates to replace new Lakers coach Luke Walton as Steve Kerr’s right-hand man, Wojnarowski continues. Silas will also be interviewed by the Warriors today during their stay in Oklahoma City for the Western Conference Finals.

Tibbetts interviewed for the Grizzlies head coaching job, while Silas is under strong consideration for the Rockets’ head coaching opening. Tibbetts has been an assistant with the Blazers since 2013 under coach Terry Stotts. He was also an assistant coach with the Cavaliers, as well as head coach of the D-League’s Tulsa 66ers for two seasons.

The Rockets are mulling a coaching partnership with Silas in the top spot and former Grizzlies and Nets head coach Lionel Hollins as associate head coach, Wojnarowski adds. The Rockets are interviewing Magic assistant Adrian Griffin and Spurs assistant James Borrego today, and Sixers assistant coach Mike D’Antoni is also a prime candidate for that job.

Portland also was granted permission Sunday to talk to Silas about being its top assistant, league sources told Wojnarowski.

Griffin Interviews For Rockets Coaching Job

May 23rd, 2016 at 11:57am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Rockets are interviewing Magic assistant coach Adrian Griffin for their head coaching job today, Mark Berman of Fox26 tweets. “Very special,” Griffin told Berman when he arrived for the interview. “I’m just looking forward to the opportunity.”

The 41-year-old Griffin, Scott Skiles’ lead assistant in Orlando, also interviewed for the Magic job before the franchise decided to hire Frank Vogel.

Before joining the Magic last summer, Griffin spent several years in Chicago as an assistant coach on Tom Thibodeau‘s staff. He also reportedly interviewed with the Blazers in 2012, the Pistons and twice with the Sixers in 2013, and the Jazz twice as well as the Cavs in 2014.

Spurs assistant coach James Borrego is also expected to be interviewed on Monday, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reported this weekend. Griffin and Borrego will apparently have an uphill climb to get the job. The Rockets reportedly whittled down the prospective candidates to Sixers assistant coach Mike D’Antoni and Hornets assistant coach Stephen Silas prior to those interviews.

The process toward hiring a new coach has been long-winded, with plenty of big names popping up along the way. New Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek, former Cavs coach David Blatt, Raptors assistant coach Rex Kalamian‎, Grizzlies assistant coach Jeff Bzdelik, San Antonio Spurs assistant Ettore Messina, TNT analyst Kenny Smith, Clippers assistant Sam Cassell, current Rockets assistant Chris Finch and ABC analyst Jeff Van Gundy were also linked to the opening at one time or another.

Community Shootaround: Next Rockets Coach

May 22nd, 2016 at 7:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

In the 1970s, Mike D’Antoni used to compete against Paul Silas on the court. Now he’s competing against Silas’ son for the Rockets’ head coaching job.

Hornets assistant Stephen Silas is receving serious consideration for the position, according to a report Friday by Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Silas impressed GM Daryl Morey and owner Leslie Alexander in a pair of interviews and is now rivaling D’Antoni, who was once thought to be the clear favorite.

Silas is among the youngest 16-year veterans ever in the coaching profession, having started his career with the original Charlotte Hornets at age 27. He is also very much in demand. Silas has an interview scheduled Monday with Warriors coach Steve Kerr about becoming his lead assistant, and the Trail Blazers have been granted permission to talk with Silas about becoming Terry Stotts’ top assistant.

Although D’Antoni and Silas are co-front runners in Houston, the Rockets haven’t stopped the interview process. They will talk to Spurs assistant James Borrego on Monday, and plan to bring in Magic assistant Adrian Griffin as well. Former Cavs coach David Blatt, Raptors assistant Rex Kalamian‎, Grizzlies assistant Jeff Bzdelik, Spurs assistant Ettore Messina, Clippers assistant Sam Cassell and current Rockets assistant Chris Finch were among the others interviewed. TNT analyst Kenny Smith and former Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy are no longer considered candidates for the position.

That brings us to tonight’s question: Who should the Rockets hire as their next coach? Should they take a veteran like D’Antoni, whose free-flowing offense paved the way for much of what Houston does now? Should it be Silas, who seems ready for the opportunity after more than a decade and a half as an assistant? Will Borrego or Griffin shake up the status quo, or is there someone else who should be considered?

Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the topic. We look forward to what you have to say.

Central Notes: Blatt, Rose, Butler, McMillan

May 22nd, 2016 at 11:51am CST by Arthur Hill

Former Cavaliers coach David Blatt plans to be on someone’s bench next season, according to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. After taking Cleveland to the NBA Finals last season, Blatt was fired in January with a 30-11 record. It’s a rare break for the 57-year-old, who has held coaching jobs around the world since 1993. “I’m going to coach next year,” Blatt said. “I’m not going to sit out. It’s not in my nature. I want to work. I’ll be back somewhere. Could be anywhere.” He added that he prefers a head coaching position overseas to working as an assistant in the NBA.

There’s more news from the Central Division:

It’s time for the Bulls to break up the Derrick Rose–Jimmy Butler backcourt, argues K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. Johnson says their relationship has become “untenable” because both players consider themselves to be the team leader, both need the ball in their hands to be most effective and neither has the 3-point shooting skills to complement the other. Johnson believes Rose’s injury history would make him difficult to deal, even though he only has one season left on his contract at $21.3MM. Butler would probably bring a greater return, but it would signify a rebuilding process that Chicago may not be ready for. If they’re both back next season, Johnson suggests drafting a shooting guard, possibly Michigan State’s Denzel Valentine, and moving Butler to small forward.
New Pacers coach Nate McMillan has to change his style to succeed in the modern NBA, former All-Star Gary Payton tells Candace Buckner of The Indianapolis Star. Payton, who played for McMillan in Seattle, says the coach will need to drop his disciplinarian image. “[McMillan] can’t be that militant coach,” Payton said. “You see what happened with George Karl up in Sacramento. When you’ve got players and it happens like that, you’re going to be the odd man out. I don’t think ownership these days are taking the side of a coach unless you’re a [Gregg] Popovich or something like that, over these $15MM-$20MM players.”
The Bucks are weighing their options with the 36th and 38th picks in next month’s draft, writes Charles F. Gardner of The Journal-Sentinel. Milwaukee concentrated on forwards on its first workout this week, which included Weber State’s Joel Bolomboy and Louisiana-Lafayette’s Shawn Long. Trading the picks to move into the first round is also an option. “Could we ever bundle those picks and move up?” said GM John Hammond. “Once again, not easy to do. Do we stay with both picks? Do we look at making one of those picks for a current roster spot and maybe another one with potentially an international player that could stay and continue to develop? We’ll see as it moves forward.”

Rockets Coaching Rumors: Saturday

May 21st, 2016 at 11:23am CST by Eddie Scarito

11:23am: Houston also intends to interview Magic assistant coach Adrian Griffin, Mark Berman of FOX 26 reports (via Twitter).

9:00am: The Rockets’ search for a new head coach continues and the latest candidate to join the process is Spurs assistant coach James Borrego, who has an interview scheduled with the team on Monday, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports. Houston had reportedly whittled down the prospective candidates to Sixers assistant coach Mike D’Antoni and Hornets assistant coach Stephen Silas, but apparently the team intends to cast an even wider net in its search by adding Borrego to the mix.

The Spurs assistant will be the 11th known candidate to interview for the Rockets’ opening, joining D’Antoni. Silas, new Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek, former Cavs coach David Blatt, Raptors assistant coach Rex Kalamian‎, Grizzlies assistant coach Jeff Bzdelik, San Antonio Spurs assistant Ettore Messina, TNT analyst Kenny Smith, Clippers assistant Sam Cassell and current Rockets assistant Chris Finch, Stein notes. Jeff Van Gundy reportedly received strong support from GM Daryl Morey for the job, but team owner Leslie Alexander could not be sold on a reunion with the former coach.

Borrego is reportedly a finalist for the Grizzlies vacant head coaching post as well, having impressed team officials during his interview. He previously spent 30 games as interim head coach in Orlando during the 2014/15 campaign before joining the Spurs at the start of this season. The Magic went 10-20 under Borrego during his brief tenure.

And-Ones: Bender, Anderson, Trimble, Hollins

May 20th, 2016 at 2:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Dragan Bender’s buyout with Maccabi Tel Aviv is just $1.3MM, which shouldn’t be an obstacle for the team that drafts him, reports Jonathan Givony of The Vertical. Bender, who is projected as a top 10 pick, signed a seven-year contract with the team in 2014 that included a clause requiring a buyout that is twice the amount that NBA teams are permitted to offer. That means whoever drafts Bender will pay $650K to Maccabi Tel Aviv, and Bender will contribute the rest out of his rookie contract. Givony called the buyout figure “relatively small” for a player who is expected to be drafted so high.

There’s more news from around the basketball world:

Kings swingman James Anderson wants to leave the NBA and play in Europe, tweets international journalist David Pick. He mentions Barcelona, Real Madrid and Fenerbahce as possible destinations for Anderson, who opted out of his contract with Sacramento on Wednesday.
Maryland point guard Melo Trimble is getting close to a decision on whether to stay in the draft or return to school, writes Charles F. Gardner of The Journal Sentinel. Trimble, whose draft stock fell as his production slipped during the latter part of his sophomore season, said he has benefited from the NBA’s new rule allowing underclassmen to pull out of the draft by May 25th if they don’t hire agents. After working out for the Bucks on Wednesday, Trimble said he is “leaning toward” his final decision. “At this workout I really found my confidence, just out there playing, being myself,” he said. “And to see [Bucks coach] Jason Kidd on the sideline was just a morale booster. You want to show what you can do best.”
The Nets stand to save some money if Lionel Hollins becomes an assistant coach with the Rockets, according to NetsDaily (Twitter link). Hollins is being considered as an assistant if the Rockets hire Stephen Silas as their head coach, and whatever Houston pays Hollins would lessen the amount that Brooklyn still owes him.
Nando De Colo, who played two seasons with the Spurs and Raptors, is free to return to the NBA next season, writes Nikos Varlas of Eurohoops. The French star, who led CSKA Moscow to the Euroleague Final, will become a free agent this summer. “We will talk with Nando de Colo after the end of the season,” said team president Andrey Vatutin. “He knows how much we want to keep him in Europe and in Moscow and we will do what we must. Beyond that the point is 100% what he thinks and what feels more like a challenge. The answer to this question belongs to the player.”

Rockets Consider Silas-Hollins Pairing

May 20th, 2016 at 12:52pm CST by Arthur Hill

12:52pm: The Rockets don’t expect to hire a coach this weekend, tweets Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com. The front office wants to take more time to consider its decision.

11:39am: Stephen Silas is getting serious consideration for the Rockets’ head coaching job, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. The Hornets assistant was in Houston for a second interview Thursday and met with team owner Leslie Alexander. If the Rockets hire Silas, they would like to add former Nets coach Lionel Hollins as his top assistant, Feigen reports.

Silas “crushed” his interviews, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, and a Silas-Hollins team is being weighed against a possible pairing of Mike D’Antoni and current Grizzlies assistant Jeff Bzdelik (Twitter link). Raptors assistant Rex Kalamian is a candidate to join the coaching staffs in both Houston and Washington, Wojnarowski adds.

Only 42, Silas already has 16 years of experience as an assistant coach. The son of former NBA player and coach Paul Silas was hired by the Charlotte Hornets in 2000 and has also spent time with the Cavaliers and Warriors. The Rockets have liked Hollins for years and had hoped to add him to Kevin McHale’s staff when Kelvin Sampson left, Feigen tweets, but he was hired in Brooklyn before that could happen.

Grizzlies Interview Jeff Bzdelik

May 19th, 2016 at 6:26pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Grizzlies have interviewed Jeff Bzdelik for their head coaching position, Marc. J Spears of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link). Spears adds that Bzdelik recently turned down an assistant coaching position on the Kings’ staff for personal reasons (Twitter link).

Bzdelik interviewed with the Rockets today in Cleveland and Spears indicates that the interview with Memphis happened before that meeting. The 63-year-old coach has been an assistant coach with Memphis since the 2014/15 season.

Bzdelik was the head coach of the Nuggets for three seasons, starting in the 2002/03 campaign and compiled a record of 73-119 with the team. He also spent 11 years as a head coach in the college ranks with stops at UMBC, Air Force, Colorado and Wake Forest. He only made the NCAA Tournament once.

Latest On Rockets Coaching Search

May 19th, 2016 at 5:25pm CST by Eddie Scarito

5:25pm: D’Antoni is still expected to be the team’s head coach, sources tell Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Stein adds that Houston interviewed Memphis’ Jeff Bzdelik today, in addition to Silas and Kalamian, and the scribe reports that Houston is eyeing all three as candidates to serve as an associate head coach if D’Antonio is hired (Twitter links).

4:59pm: The team may be interested in Kalamian as a lead assistant if D’Antoni is hired, Stein tweets. Kalamian is close with shooting guard James Harden, Stein adds.

4:48pm: Raptors assistant coach Rex Kalamian also interviewed with the team today regarding its head coaching vacancy, Marc Stein of ESPN.com tweets.

11:27am: The Rockets are bringing in Hornets assistant coach Stephen Silas for a second interview today, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports. Silas, who made a strong impression on team officials during his first sit-down, will meet with team owner Leslie Alexander and GM Daryl Morey, the scribe adds. The 43-year-old is the son of longtime NBA coach Paul Silas. He has served as an assistant for the Hornets, Pelicans (prior to the team being re-named), Warriors and Cavaliers, as well as serving a brief stint as an advance scout for the Wizards.

Sixers associate head coach Mike D’Antoni has reportedly emerged as the frontrunner for Houston’s vacant post, and the Rockets may also be exploring the possibility of hiring Silas as D’Antoni’s top assistant, Wojnarowski posits. Due to concerns over D’Antoni’s lack of defensive focus, the franchise is reportedly entertaining the idea of bringing in a strong defensive-minded assistant to aid in that department. D’Antoni has met with representatives from the organization twice, including a sit-down with Alexander. The 65-year-old has an overall record of 455-426 in the regular season as a head coach and was named as the 2004/05 Coach of the Year.

The Rockets have also met with former Suns coach Jeff Hornacek, who is reportedly close to joining the Knicks, former Cavaliers coach David Blatt, Clippers assistant Sam Cassell and Rockets assistant Chris Finch. Former Pacers coach Frank Vogel and Spurs assistant Ettore Messina are also part of the process, with Messina having interviewed with the team last Saturday. Former interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff and former Rockets guard Kenny Smith were also interviewed, but Bickerstaff withdrew from consideration and Smith was told he was no longer a candidate as the Rockets decided to focus on coaches with either head coaching experience or extensive experience as an assistant. Jeff Van Gundy was also mentioned as a candidate, but he and the team never formally spoke about the post.