Which Team Is The Most Attractive Job To Coaching Candidates, Pistons Or Rockets?
HOUSTON — The Detroit Pistons and Houston Rockets are the only teams with a head coaching vacancy. Both franchises departed from their respective head coaches within minutes after the 2022-23 regular season ended.
Dwane Casey stepped down after five seasons in Detroit, while the Rockets decided not to pick up Stephen Silas' fourth-year option.
The Pistons and Rockets are in a similar position in their respective rebuilds. And both franchises will task the responsibility of bringing relevancy back to each organization with their new head coach. But if Detroit and Houston embark on a bidding war for the same candidate, which team would have the more attractive landing spot?
"Youth is the most common denominator between both franchises," Casey said. "Both teams are run by two young point guards, which is the hardest position to learn in our league. Father time is on their side."
Headline by the top two picks of the 2021 NBA Draft in Cade Cunningham (No. 1 overall) and Jalen Green (No. 2 overall), each team has a foundational piece in place. And the results of the 2022 draft added to the organizational structure with the addition of Jabari Smith Jr. (No. 3 overall) and Jaden Ivey (No. 5 overall).
But outside of a pair of lottery picks, the Rockets may have the upper hand over the Pistons due to the additional talents acquired.
Houston's general manager Rafael Stone has built a solid team around Green. Alperen Sengun has established himself as an essential foundational piece, while Green has created a backcourt tandem with Kevin Porter Jr.
Rookie Jalen Duren showcased his promise in his first season in Detroit, while the Pistons added James Wiseman at the trade deadline in February. Both players have the potential to grow alongside Cunningham and Ivery but neither has proven to be an undeniable corps part of Detroit's future.
But when it comes to the preferred environment, the Pistons would have the advantage. Whether justified or not, skeptics have criticized the Rockets' culture over the past several months.
Houston's culture became a topic of discussion after former point guard John Wall described his two-year stint with the organization as "trash" in January.
"We have a really good culture," Stone said. "We have not managed to turn that culture into wins at this point in time, but the culture I would put our team up there with anyone in the NBA. We work really hard. People are very supportive of each other; they get along very well.
"I am willing to fight with anyone who will say that our culture, on this team, this year, was challenged," Stone said. "It’s been if not the best team I’ve ever been around, certainly one of the top two or three, and I’ve been in the NBA since 2005."
Former Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka is the lone candidate both franchises are targeting during the premature stages of their search.
Regardless of who the Pistons and Rockets hire, each team will be prime situations for any coach to thrive. And hopefully, one who will not have Detroit nor Houston re-entering the coaching market for a while.
You can follow Coty M. Davis on Twitter at @CotyDavis_24
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