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Former NBA player and head coach Paul Silas passed away on Sunday, December 11th. The three-time NBA champion is survived by his wife, Carolyn, and two children, Paula and Stephen.
Stephen Silas has followed in his father's footsteps as he is currently in his third season as the head coach of the Houston Rockets. The younger Silas received his coaching start at the age of 27, as he was an assistant coach on his dad's staff with the 2000-2001 Charlotte Hornets.
Following the 2002-2003 NBA season, the Hornets fired Silas despite making the postseason every year of his four-year tenure. The move was not supported by the team's players. Silas, however, had no trouble catching on. He was quickly hired by the Cleveland Cavaliers and his son Stephen followed, joining his staff as an assistant coach.
While Silas was brought on to help mentor rookie LeBron James, his time in Cleveland was short-lived. Despite the Cavaliers being en route to a postseason appearance, Silas was fired. While his dad would take several years away from the sideline, Stephen Silas spent that time working as a scout for the Washington Wizards and an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors.
During the 2010-2011 NBA season, Stephen joined his father's staff once again as he was named an assistant coach for the Charlotte Bobcats when Paul Silas became the interim head coach. Despite the latter's tenure ending after the 2011-2012 NBA season, Stephen stayed with the franchise, which was renamed the Charlotte Hornets, throughout the 2017-2018 NBA season.
He then spent two seasons as an assistant coach for the Dallas Mavericks before receiving his first head coaching job with the Rockets. In his third season as head coach, Silas has compiled a 44-135 record while guiding Houston through a rebuild.
Looking back at Paul Silas' career
Paul Silas spent 16 seasons in the NBA, winning three championships. Additionally, he was named to two All-Star Teams and five All-Defensive Teams. Silas averaged 9.4 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game while shooting 43.2% from the field.
Silas retired after the 1979-1980 NBA season and was immediately named head coach of the San Diego Clippers. He would spend three years with the organization, departing with a 78-168 record.
Paul Silas did not receive another head coaching job for over a decade, as he spent 11 seasons as an assistant coach with four franchises after taking a few years away from the sport. After being promoted to interim coach by the Charlotte Hornets midway through the 1998-1999 NBA season, Silas spent the next six and a half seasons coaching three organizations. Silas would take another break from the coaching bench before returning for two final seasons. He compiled a record of 387-488 in his coaching career, mostly serving as the head coach of rebuilding franchises.
