Report: Mike D’Antoni Informs The Houston Rockets That He Will Not Return Next Season As The Head Coach. Is This An Indicator For The Rockets To Consider A Rebuild?
With the Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Houston Rockets in five games, Mike D’Antoni immediately informed the organization that he would not return as the head coach! In the last four seasons, D’Antoni has coached exceptionally well while developing James Harden into a star. D’Antoni has also managed to coach the Rockets every season to the playoffs while making it as far as the conference finals, where they lost in seven games against the Golden State Warriors! As good as D’Antoni was, his coaching schemes were questionable at times as he utilized the three-point shot and isolation basketball to the max.
Even though Houston made the playoffs every season with this playstyle, the Rockets were one of those teams where they would be missing a piece or two to become title contenders. From signing Dwight Howard to trading for Chris Paul, Darryl Morrey has tried to trade or sign any player to boost their chances of making the finals. However, Morrey never considered that Mike D’Antoni was the issue as he coached the Rockets very poorly when it came to specific schemes in the playoffs. Harden is known as a player who rarely shows up in the playoffs. However, D’Antoni needs to take some of the blame as well, considering how in the last four seasons, he has been prioritizing isolation basketball and nothing else. James Harden may be an MVP type player almost every season, but the Rockets would benefit much more if he played more like a teammate than a one-man show.
In the 2019 off-season, the Rockets decided to trade away one of the least unselfish players in NBA history in Chris Paul for a point guard or maybe ranked higher for his accomplishments but is ranked much lower when discussing team impact. Ironically, both these players met in the first round of the playoffs this season, where the Oklahoma City Thunder lost in seven games against the Rockets. It was a tough battle but an even greater loss for the Thunder as they were just points away from facing the Los Angeles Lakers. But with D’Antoni announcing his departure from Houston, what should the next steps be for Houston?
Trade Russell Westbrook And Other Large Contracts
When the Oklahoma City Thunder finally decided to trade away Russell Westbrook last off-season, it was a bitter-sweet moment for the organization as Westbrook became arguably the greatest player to represent this organization. From his MVP award to averaging three triple-doubles consecutively, Westbrook became a star and one of the greatest point guards to ever play in the NBA with OKC. His accomplishments are enough for him to make it into the Hall of Fame; however, his playstyle is catastrophic to teams that want to win championships or contend for them.
Westbrook is a tenacious NBA player and has one of the biggest competitive sides the game has ever seen but, the way he plays basketball is what jeopardized his chances of winning a championship. He may have averaged a triple-double and dished out ten or more assists per game, but that doesn’t make him a playmaker as none of those assists affected the game as much as Chris Paul or Stephen Curry. Furthermore, Russell Westbrook disappeared in the second round of the playoffs and helped the opposing team win games rather than his own, which is problematic. As deserving as Westbrook is to win a championship, the best way for him to win one is when he is out of his prime and joins a ring chasing team to become a role player.
The Rockets are already in a salary cap drought as they lack no money to sign significant free agents. If Houston wants to get better, their first move should be trading Westbrook for an All-Star calibre player who is younger and less expensive. Although it will be challenging to find a player that matches those standards, trading Westbrook away would free up their cap-space to potentially sign role players or potentially Giannis Antetokounmpo next season!
Trade Or Sign A Center!
The second priority that Houston needs to address is their center position. One of the reasons why many NBA fans and analysts had struggles ranking this team as a contender is the lack of a center. Even though teams such as the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics have proven that having a center is not needed to find success, both these teams still possessed a center! PJ Tucker played phenomenal defence against Anthony Davis, but the Lakers would out-rebound him, making him a liability inside the free-throw line.
Regardless of what decisions the Rockets will make this off-season, trading or signing a center that can shoot from the three-point range while being an excellent rebounder should be on their radar! The centers that would fit perfectly with Houston’s playstyle and culture would be Myles Turner, Al Horford, Aaron Baynes, Brook Lopez, Kelly Olynyk, Cody Zeller, Javale McGee, Mason Plumlee, and Dwayne Dedmon. Notice that none of those players are superstars or even All-Stars, indicating that this team needs an average center. Golden State won a championship without a superstar or All-Star center, but they still possessed a solid one. From Andrew Bogut to Javale McGee, these centers were enough to disrupt any other big man that faced them.
Sign A Coach That Values Team Basketball Rather Than Isolation Basketball.
Mike D’Antoni served his purpose of making the playoffs every season but could not do anything else. In the 2018 NBA playoffs, the Rockets had their greatest chance of reaching the finals as they were only a game away. Some analysts and fans believed that the Rockets would become victorious, but due to Chris Paul getting injured and the Rockets missing a million shots, the Golden State Warriors would not just defeat them, but would destroy the confidence and the team’s chemistry! With D’Antoni announcing his departure from Houston, this could be the greatest opportunity for Houston to win a championship if they sign the right coach!
Even though Mike D’Antoni is the biggest name in free agency for coaching, the best fit for this team would be Mark Jackson, the coach responsible for constructing the Golden State Warriors dynasty! Mark doesn’t receive the recognition that he deserves. From drafting the big three to developing them into All-Stars and potential Hall of Famers, the Warriors dynasty would never have existed if it wasn’t for Jackson’s intelligence and coaching style. Jackson proved to be a guard-oriented coach more than anything, hence why the Houston job would be the ideal fit. If Westbrook cannot be traded, signing Mark Jackson could be the answer to Houston’s problems!
In the end, the Houston Rockets, as James Harden said, are a “piece away” from being title contenders. Whether that be an actual center or signing a coach that values team basketball rather than isolation basketball, Houston could very well be the best team in the Western Conference as they possess two former MVP’s. The only question is, will Houston change their playstyle or are they too stubborn to believe that this style of playing basketball will win them a championship?