JB Bickerstaff, A Sane Human, Will Not Coach the Rockets
As many teams across the NBA are heating up their search for their next head coach, the ex-Houston Rockets interim coach, JB Bickerstaff, has done what any human with a working mind would do: remove his name from consideration for the permanent job in Houston. Quite frankly, it is pretty amazing that Bickerstaff has not actually gone insane after coaching the Rockets for almost an entire season, but he deserves more credit than he is given because at least he got arguably the most dysfunctional franchise in the league to the playoffs.
Bickerstaff is so excited to get out of Houston that he said that he would take a job as an assistant for another team if it means he does not have to watch James Harden play defense for another season. Having two of the best players at their respective positions in the league, James Harden and Dwight Howard, as the team leaders will not make it any easier on whoever will be the next coach for Houston. Remember that time when they each asked for the other to be traded on the same day? Yeah, pray for whoever ends up with that job.
In addition to Harden and Howard, the next coach will also have to deal with the unmanageable personalities of Josh Smith and Michael Beasley. At least there are guys like Trevor Ariza, Sam Dekker, Clint Capela, and Corey Brewer who will work hard and be good teammates. Dwight Howard has no trade value right now with his immense contract and lack of productivity on the court, so it will be hard to move him without buying him out because the odds of him taking a pay cut are basically zero.
The Rockets have a ton of talent, but with the relationship that their two best players have being so rocky, it will be tough for their next coach to succeed and have confidence in their job security. Two ideal people to replace Bickerstaff would be Mike D’Antoni and Mark Jackson, who each have a lot of experience working with stars and developing players, but knowing the Rockets, they will hire Byron Scott.