Potential Coach #3: Mike D’Antoni
This is probably a name you weren’t expecting to see on this list. Mike D’Antoni is currently coaching the Houston Rockets in the NBA Playoffs, but this could be his final year with the team.
As the Rockets sit deadlocked at 2-2 in a tough first-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, I’m sure D’Antoni’s coaching future is far from his largest concern. However, it’s worth noting that were the 68-year-old coach available, he’d probably not be a free agent for long.
It’s unclear if Houston will try and pursue a new contract with D’Antoni, and a lot of that probably depends on what happens in these playoffs. One sign that points to his exit is that he declined to negotiate a new contract with the team last offseason.
“You can’t muddy the waters. You can’t just go halfway.”
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) August 17, 2020
How regrets from Mike D’Antoni’s run with the Seven Seconds or Less Suns served as fuel for the Rockets to you all in on 6-foot-7 or less: https://t.co/uLfGa3yDOi
D’Antoni may be done coaching if he and the Rockets don’t agree to a contract extension. He could possibly try his hand at being an NBA studio analyst. It’s an attractive job, and many in the basketball community have a lot of respect for his style of offense.
He also may want to join a contender, not the Bulls, if he decides to keep coaching. D’Antoni is a tempting hire because he runs a fast-paced offense that players love playing in. It’s often described as the closest thing to an NBA pickup game.
Karnisovas is on the record as preferring his teams to play a more fast-paced, open style. While D’Antoni is the guy who fits that bill the most, but he’s another coach who also appears to have a ceiling on how far he can go.
In 16 NBA seasons, while coaching some extremely talented teams, D’Antoni has never appeared in the NBA Finals as a head coach. He’s definitely got upside with his offense, but he’s still someone I think the Bulls should avoid.