NBA Rumors: Houston Rockets Hiring Jeff Van Gundy

NBA rumors are swirling around Jeff Van Gundy. The regular season in the National Basketball Association is over. That means that several teams will be looking to find a new head coach. This is the time of year where Van Gundy makes the most headlines. He’s always a candidate for these jobs. According to NBC Sports, the Houston Rockets become the latest team to show interest in Van Gundy. If hired, it would be his second stint with the franchise.

Right now, the Houston Rockets are in the NBA Playoffs. They’re up against the dominant Golden State Warriors. Very few people actually believe that they’re going to get to the next round. That’s why people are already openly talking about their head coaching position. Right now, JB Bickerstaff is the interim head coach, but few believe that he will be given the full-time gig by the Rockets. They’re looking for a bigger and more experienced name.

A person that won’t discuss the Houston Rockets job is Jeff Van Gundy. He has a personal policy of not talking to teams about a coaching job if someone is already in place. It doesn’t matter if JB Bickerstaff is on the way out the door. Van Gundy prefers to show respect by not chasing the job. That is one of the reasons why he is so well-respected by people in the NBA.

Once their run in the NBA Playoffs is over, the Houston Rockets will start interviewing candidates for the head coaching position. It is one of the more desirable jobs in the National Basketball Association. A big reason for that is because the Rockets already have a legitimate franchise player in place. James Harden is a great scorer and one of the best basketball players on the planet. Houston is also one of the bigger markets in the country.

Jeff Van Gundy is expected to be one of those coaches interviewed by the Houston Rockets. He has plenty of ties to the organization. Van Gundy coached the Rockets from 2003 to 2007. There are still employees within the franchise that know him well. Leslie Alexander owned the team when Van Gundy was the coach, so he knows him well. It also says a lot about the city of Houston that Jeff is still living there almost a decade after resigning from the Rockets.

One of the reasons why Jeff Van Gundy has been hesitant to return to the NBA as a head coach is because he does not want to move his family. That gives the Houston Rockets an advantage over other teams in the National Basketball Association. His family could stay put while he gets back to doing what he loves most.

Jeff Van Gundy might have a slight advantage over Tom Thibodeau. There are conflicting reports out there right now about the former Chicago Bulls head coach. Many are saying that he wants full control over personnel. That is why he is said to be leaning towards the opening with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The team is hoping to lure a big name coach. They’re willing to give up personnel control to make it happen. The Houston Rockets already have Daryl Morey at general manager.

Many have mixed feelings about Jeff Van Gundy. He’s one of the most entertaining personalities in professional sports. Van Gundy would certainly be missed at the broadcasting table. However, many people know that he’s a brilliant head coach. They want to see him back on the sidelines. Fortunately for Van Gundy, he loves to do both. He’s earned the right to choose which job that he wants to do.