After 13 years as the lead basketball operations executive in Houston, Rockets GM Daryl Morey is stepping down. While the news shocked many fans, it doesn’t appear likely to affect the team’s coaching search.
Per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, that’s because candidates were told of Morey’s plans throughout the process.
Though Morey did not make his decision to step down public until Thursday and has been involved in the interviews with candidates to succeed Mike D’Antoni as Rockets coach, each of the coaches had been informed throughout the process that Morey expected to leave the team at some point this offseason.
“We’ve been up front with all the coaching candidates we’ve talked to that there was a change coming,” Morey said. “I have been trying to be just an adviser at this point with Rafael [Stone] making the final decision and Tilman [Fertitta] making the final decision.”
Amid the shakeup of the Rockets' leadership, the coaching search goes on https://t.co/IqFCnraIaE
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) October 16, 2020
The Rockets brought in veteran NBA head coach Jeff Van Gundy for a second interview on Thursday, and they’re doing the same Friday with Dallas assistant Stephen Silas. Recent Rockets assistant John Lucas is also being strongly considered, according to Feigen’s report.
However, Feigen reports that the Rockets could potentially opt to interview additional candidates beyond those three names. Unofficially, this is the “second round” of interviews to replace Mike D’Antoni.
While Morey remains involved in an advisory role, the final decision will be made by new GM Rafael Stone and team ownership.
There is still no definitive timetable for a hire to be made.
