The Houston Rockets are reportedly eyeing Warriors associate head coach Kenny Atkinson as a candidate for their vacant head-coaching position.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Rockets have received permission from the Warriors to interview Atkinson, who has been with Golden State for the past two seasons. The Rockets recently cut ties with Stephen Silas after a three-year run as head coach with a talented and intriguing young core.
This is the second straight offseason where Atkinson has been courted by other teams. He reportedly made an agreement to become the Charlotte Hornets’ coach last offseason before changing his mind and deciding to stay with the Warriors for another run.
The Rockets finished the 2022-23 season tied with the Western Conference’s worst record at 22-60. The organization still has to be high on the potential of young players like Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr. and Jabari Smith Jr. Houston will also have a decent shot to land consensus projected No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama in the upcoming draft lottery.
Silas appeared to lose control of the locker room by the end of the season, as he appeared to be mocked by Josh Christopher during a game recently.
Atkinson spent 2016-20 as the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets and led them to the playoffs in 2018-19 before resigning the following year. He is usually very animated on the sidelines during games, often moving more and directing players more than head coach Steve Kerr. Atkinson is known for developing young players and has taken a hand in developing Warriors wing Jonathan Kuminga over the past couple of seasons.
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