The last of the open head coaching spots around the NBA has reportedly been filled. Yahoo Sports NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting that the Houston Rockets will hire long-time head coach Mike D’Antoni to fill their vacancy.
Houston is finalizing a deal to hire Mike D'Antoni as head coach, league sources tell @TheVertical.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 26, 2016
D’Antoni, a former head coach with the Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers, was joined by San Antonio Spurs assistant James Borrego and Charlotte Hornets assistant Stephen Silas as the three finalists for the job.
It goes without saying that Houston nabbed the most-qualified of the candidates. Though, we would be foolish not to mention what this means for Dwight Howard’s future in Houston.
He played under D’Antoni for one largely combative season with the Lakers back in 2012-13.
With Howard likely to opt out of his contract, it’s readily apparent he will be calling another city home next season.
D’Antoni takes over a Rockets team that’s coming off a disastrous 2015-16 campaign that saw it win just 41 games before being bounced by the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the playoffs.
He will now look to make it work with a player in James Harden who is increasingly being seen as an enigmatic figure around the NBA world.