Mike D’Antoni hasn’t had a head coaching experience since he left the Houston Rockets after they were eliminated from the 2020 playoffs at the infamous Orlando bubble. He couldn’t get the best out of James Harden and Russell Westbrook leading the Texan team to part ways with him.
He had a brief stint helping his former player Steve Nash in Brooklyn, but now he’s free and looking for new opportunities in the NBA. In recent weeks, D’Antoni’s name has been mentioned as a potential candidate to take over one of the teams looking for a new helmsman, and it seems like he won’t miss options this offseason.
Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report mentions that the Charlotte Hornets could be the best option for D’Antoni to return to the sidelines, while a move to the Philadelphia 76ers doesn’t sound crazy at all after Doc Rivers was linked with a move to Los Angeles Lakers.
Charlotte may be D’Antoni’s best chance to return to the sideline in 2022. He’s been a popular name floated among league personnel as a potential replacement for Doc Rivers in Philadelphia should Rivers or the 76ers decide to change direction at the conclusion of these playoffs. But despite widespread rumblings of Rivers’ intrigue in the Lakers’ opening, and incessant talk of Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey perhaps desiring a different play-caller, the 76ers have maintained that Rivers and team leadership remain aligned about their future together. Rivers’ contract runs through 2024-25 at $8 million per season, which is a hefty price for ownership to swallow.
The Hornets cut ties with James Borrego shortly after getting eliminated in the play-in tournament for the second consecutive season. That team has a talented team, led by LaMelo Ball, who can make some noise in the next couple of seasons, but Borrego wasn’t seen as the man to complete the job.
The Sixers are currently in the second round of the playoff, struggling without Joel Embiid against the Miami Heat. If Doc Rivers decides to step down and leaves the door open, D’Antoni could reunite with James Harden to try to win the championship once and for all.
There’s nothing clear right now, but Mike could be a good coach for one of those teams with flashy and fast players that can embrace their style of play quickly.
