Home NBA John Lucas a candidate for Rockets head coach

John Lucas a candidate for Rockets head coach

Photo: Rocky Widner / National Basketball Association / Getty

John Lucas is an emerging candidate in the Houston Rockets head coaching search, according to Marc Stein of The New York Times.

Lucas, 66, spent the last four seasons as the Rockets’ player development coach on Mike D’Antoni’s staff.

He also has developed strong relationships with Rockets star guards James Harden and Russell Westbrook, Stein notes.

Lucas was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1976 NBA Draft and went on to play 14 seasons in the league before getting into coaching.

He was a head coach for the San Antonio Spurs (1992-1994), Philadelphia 76ers (1994-1996) and Cleveland Cavaliers (2001-2003) and has a record of 173-258.

Lucas was also an assistant coach for the Denver Nuggets (1998-2000) and Los Angeles Clippers (2009-2010) before eventually joining the Rockets in 2016.

The Rockets have taken their time filling their head coaching vacancy, as Lucas joins other notable possible candidates including Tyronn Lue, Jeff Van Gundy, Kenny Atkinson and Sam Cassell.

The franchise also recently received permission to interview Nuggets assistant Wes Unseld Jr. and Dallas Mavericks assistant Stephen Silas.

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