Rockets legend preaches patience with Stephen Silas

When Stephen Silas got the head coaching job with the Houston Rockets, it was clear that the Rockets were getting one of the best young coaching minds in the league. Silas had previously been the assistant coach with the Dallas Mavericks and led them to the best offense in NBA history in 2019-20.

Silas had also been in the coaching ranks for more than two decades, coaching under icons such as Don Nelson, Rick Carlisle, and his dad Paul Silas, to name a few. Unfortunately for Silas, the Rockets have had their worst season in nearly four decades, as the Rockets currently have a 26 percent winning clip, which is the lowest since the team won just 17.1 percent of their games in 1982-83.

As we all know, the Rockets set a franchise record for consecutive losses this season, as they went on a 20-game losing streak, and currently sit 14th in the Western Conference, with only a half game lead over the Minnesota Timberwolves for dead last. The Rockets’ poor season has led many within the fanbase to question whether Silas is the right man for the job.

Houston Rockets legend preaches patience with Rockets coach Stephen Silas

Rockets legend Vernon Maxwell joined the Real Ones podcast to explain why this skepticism is unwarranted, while sharing his thoughts on the hand that Silas was dealt within the short span that he’s been the head coach in Houston.

“I feel for Stephen. I’ve been knowing him for a long time too. I know his dad, Paul. Steve is a good guy.

I hate what’s happening and what happened in the situation with James Harden and Russell Westbrook. And unfortunately Christian Wood got hurt.

People were trying to still leave from out of there. I just hate it for the organization and I hate it for Stephen and my main man too, John Lucas.”

The former Houston Rockets champion also explained why Silas can’t be evaluated based on this season.

“This sh- ain’t his fault man. At least let him bring in some people that he wants to bring in.

Because everybody that he thought he was going to be coaching, they all left. And that was unfair for him.

I hope they do the right thing. I’m pretty sure they will.”

As Maxwell states, Silas was dealt a set of circumstances that would have been difficult for any coach, as James Harden and Russell Westbrook, who were both All-NBA players in 2019-20, were ultimately traded shortly after Silas became the head coach.

Rockets general manager Rafael Stone stated that the early drama that surrounded the franchise was so alarming that he wanted to make sure that Silas knew that he didn’t anticipate the distractions that surrounded the franchise.

Fortunately for Silas, there hasn’t been any mention of him losing his job, and rightfully so, for many of the reasons that Maxwell mentioned.