Rick Adelman Out as Head Coach in Houston

It’s not exactly shocking news — except maybe to some of his players, who for the most part have been publicly supportive — but Rick Adelman won’t be coaching the Houston Rockets anymore. Reports the Chronicle: “Rick Adelman, who led the Rockets to their only playoff series win in 17 years and a franchise record 22-game winning streak, will not return as Rockets coach, a person with knowledge of the decision said Monday. After consecutive seasons in which the Rockets failed to reach the playoffs, Adelman and Rockets general manager Daryl Morey failed to reach agreements on how they would continue to work together. In four seasons with the Rockets, Adelman had a 193-135 record, the best winning percentage (.588) of any coach in franchise history. He moved to eighth in NBA history in career coaching wins with 945. Adelman, 64, had expressed ambivalence about remaining in coaching, but said last week that he has not lost his desire to coach. He had been openly frustrated with decision-making during last season that led to a trio of trades over his objections that seemed designed to aid future seasons. ‘I’ve talked this over with my wife and we have a pretty good idea what we would do either way,’ Adelman said last week. ‘It’s OK either way. There are definite things I want to know if I were to have the opportunity to come back.’ In each of the Rockets’ previous coaching hires, they went with proven coaches — Adelman and Jeff Van Gundy — who had sat out the previous seasons. Former Cleveland coach Mike Brown, former Hawks coach Mike Woodson and Van Gundy could fit that pattern.”