As distractions ease, Stephen Silas ready for first ‘normal’ season in Houston

A preseason game between the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs may not have seemed like much more than an exhibition for fans watching their favorite players, such as Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr., and Alperen Sengun, back on the floor together. Fans were also able to enjoy new additions to the team in highly touted rookies like Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, TyTy Washington, and Stephen Silas.

No, that was not a typo. I did say, Stephen Silas.

Although he is entering his third season as the head coach for the Rockets, it is his first year in which there no significant adversity to face entering training camp or the regular season.

Most of his players have now had at least one year of service under his leadership, which was very different from when he first stepped foot inside Toyota Center as head coach back in October 2020.

Entering a shortened offseason due to COVID-19, former Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni decided not to return to the team. After an extensive coaching search, Houston agreed to hire Silas, a long-time NBA assistant who had experience coaching NBA superstars such as LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Luka Dončić.

Since the Rockets had two elite players at the time in James Harden and Russell Westbrook. Silas’ job was initially about bringing an offensive system that would revolve around the smooth, silky shooting and playmaking of Harden while creating more space for Westbrook to utilize his powerful athleticism and attack the rim.

It seemed like a dream job for Silas, but it soon turned into a nightmare, as rumors swirling around the team that offseason about the two stars being disgruntled finally became a reality.

Westbrook, who was traded to Houston in July 2019 amid reports of friction between Harden and another future Hall of Famer (Chris Paul), reportedly wanted out a year later and was sent to Washington in exchange for guard John Wall and a future first-round draft asset. That deal was not completed until the week training camp…