The Houston Rockets’ head coaching search is starting to…pretty much run in place.
According to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, TNT analyst Kenny “The Jet” Smith is out of the running, as the team prefers to hire someone with sideline experience—a requirement that has led them to Ettore Messina, Jeff Van Gundy and Frank Vogel:
The Rockets’ coaching search began to take shape Monday, with the Rockets focusing on former head coaches and possibly particularly long-term assistants, including a pair of coaches considered among the most coveted remaining targets.
Former Pacers coach Frank Vogel and Spurs assistant Ettore Messina are “part of the process,” a person with knowledge of the Rockets’ decision-making said on the condition of anonymity because of the private nature of the coaching search.
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Former Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy is also on the Rockets’ list of coaches to be considered, a person with knowledge of the team’s thinking said.
The team reached out to Van Gundy’s representative at the start of the process but has not scheduled an interview with Van Gundy while going through the initial interviews with candidates, a part of the process they did not consider necessary considering how well they know Van Gundy.
Random note: It doesn’t seem like Ettore Messina is getting enough love. He has been on a ton of interviews, it seems, but has yet to be mentioned as a finalist. After spending so much time beside Gregg Popovich with the San Antonio Spurs, one would think that coach-less teams would be foaming at the mouth to break his branch off Coach Pop’s assistant tree. He could be turning down jobs, of course, in which case this random note would be rendered pointless.
Vogel makes some level of sense for the Rockets. He instantly upgrades their defense and might not be opposed to running small, like he was in Indiana, if Houston actually gives him the personnel to do so.
Van Gundy, however, looms as threat. This isn’t really scientific, just a gut feeling. He has been linked to the Rockets’ inevitable opening for some time, he is known as a strong defensive architect and, judging from his comments made while commentating on ESPN, he understands the importance of certain modern-day nuances.
Unless someone truly blows the Rockets away in an interview, it seems that, as of now, Van Gundy is the favorite to stalk Houston’s sidelines next season.
