It’s far from a common occurrence to have a report come out as to why an NBA coach chose to sign one player over another. But a coach speaking publicly about that type of topic is almost unheard of, which is why the recent comments from Rockets coach Ime Udoka on James Harden and free agency were so noteworthy.
Udoka, who’s entering his first season as Houston’s coach, discussed the team’s free-agency pursuit of former Raptors guard Fred VanVleet, and more specifically, why they chose to sign him over pursuing a reunion with James Harden.
One initial reason was that the Rockets viewed VanVleet’s ability to work off the ball as positive and something that made him a “better fit” than Harden, specifically allowing the team’s young core to continue to handle the ball often, as ESPN’s Zach Lowe reports. Udoka himself mentioned the aspect of VanVleet being a “better fit” while also pushing back on rumors that he didn’t want Harden in Houston.
