Mike D'Antoni 'halts Houston Rockets contract talks'
Friday 31 May 2019 08:52, UK
Houston Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni has ended talks over a new contract, ESPN reported on Thursday.
D'Antoni remains under contract for next season and said recently he plans to continue coaching beyond the 2019-20 campaign.
However, D'Antoni's agent, Warren LeGarie, informed Rockets general manager Daryl Morey of the coach's decision on Thursday afternoon, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported.
The 68-year-old D'Antoni said earlier this month he hoped to be around in Houston for three more years.
"I've let Daryl and (owner) Tilman (Fertitta) know that I'm energised to keep coaching - and believe that I can continue to do this at a high-level for at least another three years," D'Antoni told ESPN. "I want be part of a championship here."
It is not known whether recent reports of a looming roster overhaul impacted D'Antoni's decision to pause contract negotiations. However, two of his assistant coaches, Jeff Bzdelik and Roy Rogers, will not return in 2019-20.
Fertitta did not commit long-term to D'Antoni days after the season ended. "Mike will be the coach next year," Fertitta said. "He's not a lame duck to me. That's just a media term. That's just a media buzzword.
"Mike is going to be 69-years-old (in May 2020), and Mike doesn't know totally what he wants to do yet. We'll sit down with Mike in the next few weeks and talk with him.
"We're more concerned with making our team better next year. Mike will be here. I like Mike. I think he's a very good coach. Players like playing for him. I keep being told, free agents want to know who the owner is and they want to know who the coach is.
"Mike and I do well together. Hopefully, we'll continue to win and Mike will be here for a long time."
In three seasons on the Houston bench, D'Antoni has a 173-73 (.703) regular-season record and a 23-16 (.590) playoff record.
The Rockets reached the 2018 Western Conference finals, losing to the Golden State Warriors, who knocked them out in the West semifinals this year.
Including time coaching the Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers, D'Antoni has career marks of 628-499 (.557) in the regular season and 49-49 in the postseason.
