ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski has reported that Mike D'Antoni has informed the Houston Rockets he will not return as head coach of the team.
ESPN Sources: Houston coach Mike D’Antoni is informing the franchise’s ownership today that he’s becoming a free agent and won’t return to the Rockets next season.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 13, 2020
D’Antoni, whose contract expired when the Rockets fell to the Lakers in the conference semifinals, turned down extension offers prior to the season.
'Woj' confirmed D’Antoni will be considered among a group of candidates for the Philadelphia 76ers coaching opening. Before taking the Rockets job four year ago, the 69 year-old was an assistant for several months under Brett Brown.
"It's with tremendous sadness and gratitude that my wife Laurel and I announce that our incredible journey in Houston has ended for now and that we'll be moving to a new chapter," D'Antoni told ESPN in a statement.
Mike and Laurel D’Antoni statement to ESPN on departure from Rockets pic.twitter.com/XypyT8bgC0
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 13, 2020
D'Antoni was 217-102 in his four seasons with Houston, leading the team to the Western Conference finals in 2018 and to the conference semifinals three times.
The two-time NBA Coach of the Year, led the Rockets to the highest winning percentage in the Western Conference over the past four years (.682), trailing only the Toronto Raptors (.695) in the entire league.
Only the Golden State Warriors (46), Boston Celtics (33), and Raptors (31) have more playoff victories than the Rockets (28) in D'Antoni's four-year run in Houston.