HOUSTON -- The news is beginning to settle in that Jeff Van Gundy is going to coach the Houston Rockets. General manager Carroll Dawson turned his attention Tuesday to getting ready to sign assistant coaches and prepare for the upcoming draft. Rockets players are preparing to welcome their new boss. "My reaction is very excited," Dawson said. "We had a lot of competition for this guy. Everybody who had an opening was trying to get him, so we feel very fortunate." Van Gundy told Dawson on Monday he was ready to be the Rockets coach, pending his agent getting the finishing touches on his contract, believed to be in the four- to five-year range. Reports, which the Rockets declined to comment on, indicate the deal could be worth as much as $25 million. That left Dawson elated and ready to make the next moves. "I don't think I get a vacation," he said. "I'm going to start signing whoever he wants as assistants, then we've got to get ready for the draft. We don't have a first-round pick but we have people coming in to work out." Among the names already mentioned as an assistant coach is former Knicks star Patrick Ewing, now an assistant with the Washington Wizards. During his tenure with the Knicks, Van Gundy coached Ewing. "He's (Van Gundy) mentioned that but I think there's a lot of competition for Patrick," Dawson said. "Patrick might be in the same position that Jeff was under because he's under contract. I don't know if we can talk to him. "That's going to be up to the coach." The Rockets reached a settlement with the Knicks for a second-round draft pick to release Van Gundy from the remaining portion of his contract with the Knicks. Former Rockets and current Knicks forward Othella Harrington suggested the Rockets get ready for a disciplined coach who gives extreme attention to detail. "He's a guy who's going to work constantly to improve the team and the organization," Harrington said. "He's a very intense guy. There are no questions about his ability to coach and to win and there's no question about him wanting to win. "It's going to be him coming in and instilling that on the other guys." Rockets players have some idea of what to expect. "I'm happy that we finally got a coach and we're not in limbo any more," guard Moochie Norris said. "We hated to lose coach (Tomjanovich) but now we know what to expect and what the system will be." Van Gundy's disciplinarian reputation precedes him. "What do I expect? Defense, defense, defense and a lot of hard work," Norris said. "I know about Coach Van Gundy from playing against his teams. The games are going to be 80-85 points, and you work for every basket you get. It's going to be very physical." Other Rockets, like free agent James Posey, must wait and see. "They will come in here and plan who they want to be a part of this," Posey said. "They might decide to make some changes. Right now, I can't really think about that. "I like being here but it's a business and business moves will be made and that's how you have to look at it." Van Gundy compiled a 248-172 record as coach of the Knicks, including 1999 when he led them to the NBA finals. He was an assistant to Pat Riley with the Knicks in 1994 when they lost to Houston in the NBA finals allowing the Rockets to claim their first of two consecutive NBA titles. -ESPN.COM
