The Houston Chronicle reported the Rockets plan to hire experienced defensive assistants to supplement D’Antoni’s offensive expertise.
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Mike D’Antoni has taken a hard road back to being a head coach in the National Basketball Association but was rewarded for his recent stint as a Philadelphia 76ers assistant, as he will take over the head job for the Houston Rockets.
The 65-year-old D’Antoni has always been thought of as one of the most innovative offensive minds in basketball.
D’Antoni reached the Western Conference Finals twice with the Phoenix Suns and also guided the New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Lakers to the playoffs in his prior stops.
The terms of the contract, which are still being finalized, call for D’Antonio to receive $16 million for four years with the final season at the team option. They were one of the NBA’s biggest disappointments this season, with discord in the locker room leaking on to the court.
D’Antoni was off the radar for a season after leaving the Lakers, but resurfaced this year when Jerry Colangelo brought him on as an associate head coach with the Sixers.
The Rockets have found their next head coach.
He was named Coach of the Year in the 2004-05 season after he led the Suns to the best record in the league.
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There were issues with Harden and center Dwight Howard, who is expected to opt out of his contract and become a free agent.
