It’s been a long weekend of questions for many NBA coaches in the wake of the Jerry Sloan resignation. Things are becoming more star-focused than ever in the NBA, and some of the old guard might not want to be a part of it much longer.
The Houston Chronicle’s Jerome Solomon managed to get some thoughts on the subject from Rockets coach Rick Adelman, and it might surprise you to learn that he’s not exactly dead-set on returning to the Rockets after this year. The 62-year-old instead had this to offer up:
But at the end of this season Adelman will consider calling it quits. He talked about the “R” word with his wife, Mary Kay, last summer.
“We will talk about it this year, more seriously, and decide what do I really want to do in the future?” said Adelman, who has been in the league since he was drafted by the San Diego Rockets in 1968. "I think you think about it when you get to this many years in the league.
“Let’s be frank, it’s been really disappointing the last two years with the injuries. Then when you think you have something going …”
It’s easy to see the schism here: not only is Adelman getting older, but this team has disappointed in back-to-back seasons (although mostly due to injuries) and he should probably be coaching a win-now team. If the Rockets make some moves at the deadline aimed towards rebuilding, the writing could be on the wall for Adelman. It might be time to get some younger blood in the coach’s chair as well.