To most people around the NBA, Thursday’s departure announcement from veteran Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey came as a shock.
To the Rockets, though, it’s apparently old news.
With Morey telling owner Tilman Fertitta of his plans shortly after the conclusion of Houston’s 2020 playoff run, new GM Rafael Stone has already begun taking the lead within basketball operations.
Via Kelly Iko and Sam Amick of The Athletic, here’s what that has meant for the ongoing search for a head coach to replace Mike D’Antoni:
Prior to the coaching search, Fertitta had said that Morey would have a large influence in picking the next Rockets head coach, but The Athletic has learned that Morey’s role in the coaching search had diminished over the past few weeks and he had been operating essentially as a consultant. The Rockets have interviewed Jeff Van Gundy, Ty Lue, Kenny Atkinson, Stephen Silas, David Vanterpool, Wes Unseld Jr., and John Lucas so far. …
Typically, the Rockets front office has operated as a joint venture, with Morey, Stone, Eli Witus, and Monte McNair (now with Sacramento) offering individual input along with ownership before arriving at a decision. So far, however, it’s been Stone — and not Morey — running point during the interview process.
Daryl Morey’s role in the Rockets' coaching search had diminished over the past few weeks and he had been operating essentially as a consultant, @TheAthletic has learned.
New reporting, including conversations with Morey and Tilman Fertitta, from @sam_amick and @KellyIkoNBA ⤵️
— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) October 16, 2020
Of that group, Van Gundy, Silas, and Lucas are believed to be the current frontrunners, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Both Van Gundy and Silas have already had multiple days of interviews.
There is no definitive timetable for a hire to be made. However, with Morey’s contract expiring Nov. 1, it appears that the Rockets plan to finalize the head coaching decision before that date.
