NBA Rumors: Washington Wizards aggressively pursuing Scott Brooks
By John Buhler
The Washington Wizards are all-in on former head coach Scott Brooks, who is a favorite for either the Wizards’ job or the opening with the Houston Rockets.
According to ESPN’s Marc Stein, the Washington Wizards are “actively intensifying its Scotty Brooks pursuit in hopes of sealing a Brooks deal before Houston’s job opens.”
Stein also adds that the Houston Rockets are hoping to get their chance at the former coach of the Thunder when their season ends. They currently trail the Golden State Warriors 2-0 in their first round playoff series.
Brooks may have been out of the NBA this season, but he has built a career as an NBA lifer. He was the former head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder from 2008-15 and spent a decade as a reserve point guard with most notably the Philadelphia 76ers and the Rockets in the 1980s and 1990s.
As ESPN reported earlier today, Rockets officials are hopeful Scotty Brooks will hold off and still be on the market when their job opens
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) April 20, 2016
He will lead an NBA team in 2016-17 and if the Rockets don’t remove the interim tag with head coach J.B. Bickerstaff following a certain first round exit in the 2016 NBA Playoffs, Brooks has a huge decision to make: Houston or Washington?
While he has a connection with the Rockets from his day as a player and was the former head coach of All-Star shooting guard James Harden in Oklahoma City, the Washington job may be the better fit for Brooks than the one he will inherit in Houston.
The Rockets have arguably the worst team chemistry in the NBA and play in the Western Conference. Washington doesn’t have a tremendously deep roster, but have strong players like point guard John Wall, power forward Marcin Gortat, and soon-to-be free agent shooting guard Bradley Beal. The Wizards also play in the East, which would make it easier for Brooks to get back into the NBA Playoffs.
While Washington is the better job at the moment, if Houston is as confident about Brooks holding out for the Rockets job to open up instead of signing with the Wizards, what does that say about the chaotic front office of Washington? Either way, Brooks will likely be coaching either of these two teams next winter.
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