3 Lessons the Rockets learned from the Doc Rivers saga

With Doc Rivers no longer a coaching option for the Houston Rockets, there are several lessons the Rockets could take away from how the saga unfolded.

The surprising addition of Doc Rivers to the 2020 free agent coaching class had the Houston Rockets salivating, as Rivers was easily the best coach on the market. The Rockets were instantly rumored as a potential destination, and rightfully so, as the Rockets should have been enamored with a championship coach.

But the Philadelphia 76ers made Rivers their guy, as they instantly snatched him off the market, limiting the Rockets’ options. To add insult to injury, Rockets general manager Daryl Morey and franchise star James Harden didn’t expect to have to hire a head coach, as they each wanted to retain Mike D’Antoni’s services, and there was reportedly a plan in place to keep D’Antoni in Houston.

With Rivers no longer in the fold, the Rockets must continue on with their search, as they’ve begun the process of interviewing candidates and identifying coaches to add to their list. It’s imperative that the Rockets’ brass make the correct hire, as the next coach will be responsible for maximizing the remainder of James Harden and Russell Westbrook’s prime years.

But there are several lessons that the Rockets certainly learned from the Doc Rivers saga, which could help them throughout the duration of their search.

Next: No. 3