Trail Blazers inadvertently gave Rockets perfect fix for Ime Udoka problem

The Rockets are in for a summer of big changes, and their first move might be a coaching change. Houston has grown weary of current head coach Ime Udoka, but fortunately the Trail Blazers may have let an ideal replacement hit the market in Tiago Splitter. Splitter had a great run this season as Portland's acting head coach but will likely leave the franchise after their lowball offer to him for the permanent position.

Trail Blazers' loss could be the Rockets' treasure

Splitter showed great poise all season as he led the Blazers to an eventual playoff berth and finished 42-39 in the games he coached. Keep in mind that he had to take over unexpectedly after head coach Chauncey Billups was abruptly arrested for a betting scandal. In his absence, Splitter was the perfect calming force that his young team needed to settle themselves and exceed expectations.

The Blazers had their flaws, including a lack of shooting and playoff experience for most of the key players (which could sound familiar for Rockets fans). But Splitter navigated those weaknesses to maximize his team and build a strong defense that won plenty of games. Even without strong traditional point guard play, the Blazers managed to scrape together enough offense to be a relevant factor in the West.

Many of Splitter's strengths would be valuable in Houston too. If the Rockets are looking to fully commit towards a younger core, Splitter's guidance could be key in helping them progress their skills. He will give them opportunities to grow without overstraining them in poor situations.

Splitter is a natural next step from Udoka

Compared to Udoka, Splitter has displayed more compassion for his players thus far in their coaching careers. Udoka's approach worked for establishing a winning foundation of defense and accountability in Houston, but he's overstayed his welcome. Now, the Rockets need someone to take them to the next step of title contention and Splitter seems like the man.

Under Splitter, the Blazers maintained a strong defense but also made important offensive developments throughout the season. They saw Deni Avdija have his first All-Star season and be named a finalist for Most Improved Player - all without a reliable jump shot. Portland also expanded his offensive repertoire with key adjustments throughout the season, including having bigs pop out for more threes and attacking the weak spots of typical defensive coverages.

Tiago Splitter might just be the man for the Rockets. He comes from a great coaching lineage, as he played for Gregg Popovich on the Spurs. And Splitter also seems to have the right personality and game plans to help a team like the Rockets make the most of their roster.

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