According to veteran NBA scribe Marc Stein, DeSagana Diop will soon become Houston’s third assistant coach to leave the bench this offseason, joining Jeff Hornacek and Will Weaver. A former NBA center, Diop was hired by the Rockets prior to the 2020-21 season.
Per Stein, the New York Knicks are expected to name Diop as the new head coach of their NBA G League affiliate, the Westchester Knicks.
With Diop, Hornacek, and Weaver no longer part of the staff, it appears Stephen Silas will be filling three roles before the 2022-23 season. Lead assistant John Lucas, along with Rick Higgins, are still in place.
It remains unconfirmed whether Hornacek and Weaver left of their own choosing, or if Silas and the Rockets chose to go a different direction.
That’s 3-of-5 members of Stephen Silas’ staff that will not be back next season. Looks like John Lucas and Rick Higgins are the only assistants set to return next season https://t.co/k23X6IWKTR
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) May 26, 2022
Immediately after the 2021-22 season ended, Silas said he was hopeful of having all members of his assistant coaching staff return. However, he said he would not attempt to hold any back from a promotion, if they were offered one. General manager Rafael Stone has made it clear assistant coaching decisions are Silas’ job, rather than his.
Mahmoud Abdelfattah, head coach of Houston’s G League affiliate (the Rio Grande Valley Vipers), is reportedly a strong early candidate for one of those vacant positions. Another is Melvin Hunt, a longtime NBA assistant who most recently worked for Atlanta from 2018 until 2021.
