D'Antoni and the 76ers Would Make an Odd Match

The Philadelphia 76ers would make a strange coaching destination for Mike D'Antoni and his 3-point shooting offence

Houston Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni announced his intentions to leave the team this offseason following the Rockets' second-round playoff loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

"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.

D'Antoni has long been one of the NBA's most inventive and forward-thinking coaches. He pioneered the Seven Seconds or Less offence in the early 2000s with Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns and took 3-point shooting and 'smallball' to another level with the Rockets over the past five seasons.

There will certainly be numerous teams vying for him this offseason with so many coaching vacancies around the league, but few teams seem as intriguing a destination as the Philadelphia 76ers who are reportedly considering D'Antoni as an option, according to ESPN.

Raptors Twist:

The potential fit seems particularly fascinating because of D'Antoni's reputation as a guard whisperer and a proponent of spacing and 3-point shooting. That seems in direct opposition to the 76ers who are led by a pair of young stars known for their play inside the arc, especially in the paint, as opposed to their 3-point shooting prowess.

No team in the NBA attempted more post-ups per game this season than the 76ers, according to NBA Stats, and it wasn't particularly close. Philadelphia averaged 17 post-ups per game, 2.7 more than the Los Angeles Lakers who attempted the second-most post-ups this season.

Additionally, the 76ers' Ben Simmons, who started the year as a guard before shifting over to a forward spot after the COVID-19 hiatus, attempted just seven 3-pointers all season.

If the 76ers do decide to hire D'Antoni, it could mean a dramatic reshaping of Philadelphia's offence and roster. And considering how much talent the 76ers have right now, it's a situation Raptors fans should keep an eye on this fall.