Nothing better than starting your morning off with a #WojBomb, right? Per Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, the Houston Rockets have fired Head Coach Kevin McHale.
The Houston Rockets fired coach Kevin McHale, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 18, 2015
This move comes as quite a shock. The Rockets have had a very rough start to the 2015-2016 season. They are 4-7, lost their first three games by 20+ points, and look nothing like the title-contender many expected.
In just over four seasons as the Rockets’ coach, McHale tallied a 193-130 record with three playoff appearances and one conference finals appearance. His .598 winning percentage is the best in franchise history. The Rockets signed him to a three-year extension on December 24, 2014.
Wojnarowski also reported that J.B. Bickerstaff will become the interim head coach. Bickerstaff has been an assistant coach in the NBA since 2004, and has been with the Rockets for four years,
J.B. Bickerstaff, will become interim head coach, league sources tell Yahoo. Assistant Chris Finch will become associate head coach.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 18, 2015
The Rockets have certainly been a bit of a dumpster fire this season. They are the second-worst defense in the NBA right now, and have the fourth worst total plus/minus. They certainly look like a far cry from the team that came back from down 3-1 to beat the Clippers in the 2015 playoffs.
The fairness of this decision is already being debated on social media and will likely continue to be discussed over the next couple of days. The Rockets were playing in the Western Conference finals 175 days ago. Now, this bad start has triggered what may turn out to be a panic move from Rockets GM Daryl Morey.
Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle gave some reasons for the firing on Twitter.
Rockets management (Alexander, Morey, Brown) didn't want to make move, believed Kevin McHale lost the locker room. Things would not change.
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) November 18, 2015
He also mentioned that the Rockets saw their championship window with James Harden and Dwight Howard shrinking. Howard has the ability to become a free agent this summer. If the team keeps going in the direction it has, Howard might leave, and one of Morey’s prized acquisitions will be gone.
McHale has struggled this season, but the deck has been stacked against him. Injuries to Dwight Howard and Patrick Beverley have forced him to play defensively challenged lineups. James Harden, who McHale trusted and needed immensely, has not returned to MVP form.
James Harden:
— Josh Eberley 🇨🇦 (@JoshEberley) November 17, 2015
Leads the League in missed shots (140)
Second in turnovers (53)
Rockets -8.6 when Harden plays, -5.6 when he sits. . .
The usual suspects will likely be names mentioned to replace McHale. Tom Thibodeau and Mike D’Antoni are two men with NBA coaching pedigree who are seeking employment. The fit of either of those coaches, or anyone else, will be broken down by us at Hoops Habit and other NBA analysts in great detail.
The Rockets made a very significant, very tough and very surprising call. This is another example of something everyone who ever thinks about the NBA should recognize: You never know what’s going to happen.