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The LA Lakers currently lead the Miami Heat 1-0 in the Finals and are the favorites to win the 2019-20 NBA championship. With basketball season coming to an end, NBA rumors surrounding not only star players but Head Coaches, who have recently been relieved of their previous jobs have already started hitting the internet.
Major departures can be expected this off-season, with teams looking to strengthen their rosters not only on the court but even off it.. With that said, let's check what's latest on the NBA rumor mill.
NBA Rumors: Houston Rockets looking to replace Mike D'Antoni with Tyronn Lue
The Houston Rockets parted ways with Mike D'Antoni recently. A fan favorite, D'Antoni was on the hot seat after losing the western conference semi-finals to the LA Lakers. According to NBA rumors, LA Clippers' assistant coach, Tyronn Lue is the favorite to replace 69-year-old in Houston.
It doesn't come as a surprise, given that Tyronn Lue was expected to be in heavy demand come this offseason. The 43-year0old boasts of a resume few coaches can match in the NBA, as he won a championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 under extraordinary circumstances. Other teams that are potentially looking at Tyronn Lue as a candidate for their vacant head coaching position are the New Orleans Pelicans and the LA Clippers themselves.
Tyronn Lue joins a long list of candidates that have been shortlisted by Houston Rockets general managers Daryl Morey. Other notable names include fellow LA Clippers assistant and former Houston Rockers star Sam Cassell and NBA analyst, Jeff Van Gundy.
Rockets also interviewed Van Gundy's brother and former Detroit Pistons head coach, Stan, recently. As per Adrian Wojnarowski, they are now expected to interview David Vanterpool, who is the Minnesota Timberwolves associate Head coach.
Also read: NBA Trade Rumors: The dream starting 5 for the Portland Trail Blazers going into the 2020-21 season
Just 24 hours earlier, Mike D'Antoni was being courted by the Philadelphia 76ers. However, NBA rumors from earlier this week came to fruition as Doc Rivers was announced as the new Head Coach of the Philadelphia 76ers following a lengthy meeting with the management on Wednesday. It is certain that a coach of Mike D'Antnoni's pedigree will not go unemployed this off-season, and we can expect him to sign with a franchise that will bevying for a championship soon.
The Indiana Pacers have been coach hunting too, and NBA rumors indicate that they will be interviewing NBA champion and Finals MVP, Chauncey Billups. An underrated star during his prime, Billups doesn't have any coaching experience but is held in high regard by the NBA fraternity.
With the off-season quickly approaching it will be interesting how franchises without a Head Coach right now go about interviewing candidates as they start falling off the carousel of unemployed coaches
Also read: Top 5 clutch moments of LeBron James' NBA career
Guess the Lakers players!
