Report: David Blatt still in mix for Rockets’ head coaching job
Could Rockets general manager Daryl Morey still have an ace in the hole?
With the prevailing rumblings being that Houston’s head coaching job is Mike D’Antoni’s for the taking, Marc Stein of ESPN reports on Thursday that though D’Antoni is considered the frontrunner, former Cavs head coach David Blatt is still in the mix for the position.
It should be noted that David Blatt remains up for the head coaching job in Houston, where Mike D'Antoni is regarded as a leading candidate.
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) May 19, 2016
Blatt had previously been connected to the coaching vacancy in New York but that job wound up going to Jeff Hornacek.
The 56-year-old head coach definitely got the short end of the stick in Cleveland where he was fired last January despite a 97-46 record over two seasons (regular season and playoffs) whilst leading the Cavs to an appearance in the NBA Finals.
D’Antoni, who recently got a second interview with the Rockets, is probably the better choice for this run-and-gun Houston roster as presently constructed. Blatt has a reputation for a more structured offensive system geared towards the halfcourt. But don’t write the D’Antoni hiring in stone just yet, especially in this current coaching market uncharacteristically ripe with a number of highly qualified candidates.