Houston Rockets: 5 candidates to replace Mike D’Antoni as head coach

4. Kenny Atkinson

The Brooklyn Nets played at a fast pace and hoisted a ton of 3-pointers in their four seasons with Kenny Atkinson at the helm, so stylistically, this wouldn’t be too dramatic of a departure from what Mike D’Antoni’s Rockets like to do. Even better, his offensive sets would be able to keep the ball and his players moving when opponents start trapping Harden.

The question is whether Atkinson could actually implement a competent defense — something he struggled with in Brooklyn, as the Nets were in the league’s bottom half for defensive rating in his first three seasons before surging up to 10th this year.

Still, the Nets’ defensive improvement in 2019-20 might be enough to warrant him a look in Houston, especially since Atkinson’s rosters weren’t exactly very formidable until the last year or two. The Rockets’ playing style leaves them vulnerable defensively at times, but the personnel is there to put together a competitive bunch; after all, Houston led all playoff teams in defensive rating in Orlando before falling apart against the Lakers.

The appeal here would be hiring a coach who could cobble together a good enough defense while still keeping the Rockets’ high-volume long-range attack in place. The drawback is that Atkinson might be a better fit as the coach of a rebuild rather than an aspiring contender that needs to win now. Even so, as the coach of a Nets squad that ranked in the top-five in 3-point attempts per game in each of the last four seasons, Atkinson might fit the bill.