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

3. Sam Cassell

According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, there is mutual interest between the Rockets and Sam Cassell, who won two championships with the franchise back in the mid-90s. The hometown-hero-turned-head-coach angle isn’t the only reason this match makes sense, however.

Cassell has served as an assistant coach in the league since 2009, when he joined Flip Saunders’ staff with the Washington Wizards. After five seasons with the Wizards, during which time John Wall credited Cassell with his development, the former point guard joined Doc Rivers’ staff with the LA Clippers, where he’s served as an assistant ever since.

He’s garnered glowing praise from Rivers as one of the many assistants in the league who seems primed to make the jump to the big chair someday soon. Hiring a first-time head coach to manage such a combustible Rockets team is an inherent risk, but Cassell is well-respected around the league and can relate to his players.

That kind of trait would definitely come in handy in Houston, especially as a former point guard whose two superstars both function as point guards. If a more proven option doesn’t emerge, the Rockets could do worse as far as first-time head coaches are concerned.