Rockets Rival 'Gauged Interest' in Ex Coach Jeff Van Gundy
A former coach of the Houston Rockets could find his way back to the NBA sidelines.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Dallas Mavericks were interested in hiring former New York Knicks and Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy to their coaching staff.
"The Mavericks, as I reported they would on June 5, indeed gauged Jeff Van Gundy's interest in a return to coaching as a member of Jason Kidd’s staff with a formal interview after Van Gundy finished his NBA Finals broadcasting duties," Stein wrote.
Van Gundy, 61, was among the many high-profile firings ESPN made on June 30, giving him an opportunity to explore other jobs in either the broadcast booth or the sidelines.
Van Gundy hasn't been in coaching since 2007, when he coached the Rockets. However, there have been a few attempts to woo him back into coaching. Now that he is no longer tied to ESPN, perhaps the NBA could bring him back.
Dallas ultimately decided not to hire Van Gundy in favor of former Utah Jazz assistant coach Alex Jensen, former Phoenix Suns assistant Bryan Gates and former Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Josh Broghamer.
However, with his name out there, it may propel one of the other 29 teams to make the phone call to Van Gundy's line.
You can follow Jeremy Brener on Twitter @JeremyBrener.
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