The Houston Rockets are bringing an old friend back to the bench to bolster coach Mike D’Antoni’s staff.
According to the Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan Feign, the Rockets are bringing back Elston Turner as an assistant coach. Turner was an assistant coach in Houston from 2007-2011 before leaving to be an assistant coach with the Memphis Grizzlies and the Sacramento Kings before agreeing to return to the Rockets.
The Rockets reached agreement on Thursday with long-time NBA assistant Elston Turner to return to the team as lead assistant primarily focused on running the defense, an individual with knowledge of the deal said.
Turner will take over for Jeff Bzdelik as the guy who will oversee the defense as they try to take the next step in the Western Conference. The Rockets will have their best shot at an NBA Finals appearance in 2019-20 as their biggest threat, the Golden State Warriors, will be an injury riddled team.
