Should the Rockets consider Greg Buckner for head coach?

Greg Buckner signed to the Rockets as Player Development Coach in 2011. He would serve in the role for 3 years before being promoted to assistant coach for 2 more seasons. During that time, a number of young Rockets players developed significantly, most notably a number of our guards--Lowry, Dragic, Beverley, and of course, starting in 2012, Harden. One striking thing I noticed is that during this period many of our young players had the best years of their careers. Guys like Chase Budinger, D-Mo, Terrence Jones, Omer Asik, and others. Doesn't necessarily mean Buckner was responsible for that, but it's interesting, since presumably he would've been working hands-on with them a lot.

After leaving the Rockets, Buckner spent a few years with the Grizzlies under J.B. Bickerstaff during their rebuild. Their lack of success seems to have mainly been bad timing. When Bickerstaff was fired, Buckner left with him for Cleveland, where they successfully built the 4th seed in the East this season. Buckner was noted as playing a key role in developing them into a strong defensive team. In interviews, he has preached selflessness and developing your basketball IQ.

In 2022, he was promoted to Associate Head Coach behind Bickerstaff.



At this point, I kinda wish we had never let Bickerstaff go. Maybe Buckner is the next best thing. Strong history with the team at developing players, recent success at developing a bad team into a contender, 12 years coaching experience in the NBA.

I'm of the mind that a good player development coach is exactly what the Rockets need to right this ship and get guys reaching their potential.

What say you, GARM?

 

I don't really like the names being floated. They've generally already washed out of other organizations, or if we get Nick Nurse, that would mean he just got kicked out of Toronto, so same problem. That's the problem with "proven" head coaches who already have head coaching experience. Generally, if there weren't problems, they would still be with the organization that hired them, or they would be retired and thus unavailable.

I don't think Buckner is any more unknown than any other assistant coach.

I'd love for the Rockets to find a guy who can be with us for decades and just pretty much solve the coaching problem for good, like the Spurs have had with Pop. To find that kind of guy I think you have to go into coaches who haven't had a chance at the big seat yet, but preferably have a good amount of experience as an assistant.

 

Yeah, and I also don't want us to hire a harasser who can't keep it in his pants. Trashy as hell.

 

Seems like kind of a knee jerk reaction to a bad experience with Silas to me. Just because he was a crappy HC that doesn't have to mean every other assistant also sucks. NBA organizations giving assistants a shot is just part of the process. It's how you find great coaches so we're not just recycling the same failed guys until they die.