NBA Rumors: Houston Rockets Hiring Kenny Smith

NBA rumors have started swirling around Kenny Smith. The former point guard has been linked to the vacant head coaching job for the Houston Rockets. According to Fox Sports, the Rockets are set to interview the TNT analyst as a replacement for Kevin McHale. The odds of Smith getting the position have increased tremendously now that JB Bickerstaff has told management that he no longer wants to be in consideration for the position. Smith is a former point guard for Houston.

The Houston Rockets are looking to start another era. Kevin McHale was fired 11 games into the season. Rockets general manager Daryl Morey believed that the former Boston Celtics legend lost the players in the locker room. JB Bickerstaff was promoted to be the interim head coach. He managed to lead Houston to the NBA Playoffs. However, that wasn’t good enough to convince management to give him the job full-time.

JB Bickerstaff decided to drop out of consideration from the open head coaching position for the Houston Rockets. He was hoping that management would give him the chance to continue with the team as the permanent head coach. After interviewing with the Rockets, Bickerstaff got the idea that management was going to hire someone else to lead the team into the future. At that point, he decided to look for a new job in the NBA.

If he does get the job with the Houston Rockets, it will be Kenny Smith’s first career job as an NBA head coach. He also has zero coaching experience because he joined up with Ernie Johnson and Charles Barkley on TNT’s Inside the NBA after retirement. Smith spent six seasons with the Rockets as the starting point guard. He played a key role in Houston when they won back-to-back NBA Championships. Smith’s playing experience should help him if he does get the job for the Rockets.

One of the biggest tasks for Kenny Smith, if he gets the head coaching job for the Houston Rockets, will be what kind of offensive system can be built around James Harden. Smith, a former point guard for the Rockets, will need to convince his star guard to share the ball more with his teammates. If he can convince the former Arizona State Sun Devils star to involve his teammates more, it could lead to more victories. Harden will be able to get his points, but him doing it on his own will not help the team win more games or an NBA Championship.

Dwight Howard is expected to opt out of his current contract and become an unrestricted free agent this summer. It will be interesting to see if the Houston Rockets decide to bring back the former Defensive Player of the Year or let him walk in free agency. The Rockets might decide to let him test his value, so he can get an idea of what he is worth. Houston could also bring in new pieces for Kenny Smith.

Kenny Smith will have some competition for the vacant head coaching position for the Houston Rockets. The team is set to interview former Phoenix Suns head coach Jeff Hornacek. He has become one of the hottest head coaching candidates in the NBA. Former Rockets head coach Jeff Van Gundy remains high on the wish list. The team is said to be very interested in bringing Van Gundy back to the team.

It shocking to see Kenny Smith’s name as a candidate for the Houston Rockets because he hasn’t shown the desire to be a head coach. The Rockets are hoping to find a diamond in Smith, like how the Golden State Warriors struck gold with Steve Kerr. Houston might be willing to take a chance on the former point guard.