NBA Rumors: Golden State Warriors Possibly Hiring Stephen Silas From Charlotte Hornets

NBA rumors are swirling around Stephen Silas. He has become one of the hottest coaching candidates in the National Basketball Association. According to Yahoo! Sports, the latest pursuit of Silas comes from the Golden State Warriors.

To their credit, the Houston Rockets are looking long and far for their next head coach. They’ve interviewed more candidates than anyone else in the NBA. Stephen Silas wasn’t one of their first candidates. However, he has emerged as one of the favorites. Silas was one of only two candidates to receive a second interview. The other is Mike D’Antoni.

Stephen Silas likely doesn’t have to worry about his employment status in the NBA next season.

If he cannot land a head coaching job elsewhere, then Stephen Silas can simply return to the Charlotte Hornets. The franchise likes having him around. Silas was quite useful in helping Hornets head coach Steve Clifford and associate head coach Patrick Ewing take a talented group of players and lead them to the NBA Playoffs.

If he’s not with the Houston Rockets or Charlotte Hornets next season, then Stephen Silas can join the Golden State Warriors. The defending NBA Champions have officially requested permission from the Hornets to interview Silas. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr is looking for a new associate head coach to replace Luke Walton, who was hired by the Los Angeles Lakers as their new head coach.

The timing of the request shows just how much the Golden State Warriors value Stephen Silas as a candidate for their coaching staff. Initially, they were going to wait until the NBA Playoffs were over before looking for a replacement for Luke Walton. However, the Warriors are afraid that the Houston Rockets will swoop him up before they even get a chance to interview him. That’s why the team wants to have their discussion with Silas as soon as possible.

Familiarity is one of the things that might lure Stephen Silas to the Golden State Warriors. He was an assistant coach there for a couple of years. Being the lead assistant on a team that dominates the NBA could do wonders for the name value of Silas, increasing his chances of getting a head coaching job the following season.

One of the reasons why the Golden State Warriors are so interested in Stephen Silas is due to his relationship with Stephen Curry. Silas and Curry developed quite the bond, both on the court and off the court, when Silas was a Warriors assistant. Keeping Curry happy is something that the Warriors want to continue doing.

The associate head coach position with the Golden State Warriors has become one of the most sought after positions in the NBA. Alvin Gentry had a good year at the position and is now the head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans. Luke Walton did the same thing before being hired by the Los Angeles Lakers.

Stephen Silas has some competition for the associate head coach position with the Golden State Warriors. Former Denver Nuggets head coach Brian Shaw is reportedly eyeing the position as well. Being an Oakland resident, Shaw may find the position with the Warriors more appealing than the lead assistant job that Luke Walton offered him on the Los Angeles Lakers coaching staff. Shaw also has an offer from Nate McMillan to join his staff, but Shaw has reportedly ruled out the Indiana Pacers as a possible destination.

The Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Toronto Raptors are competing with one another for the NBA Championship. While that’s going on, there’s now a heated battle over coaching candidates.