Report: Pacers Could Target Mike D'Antoni if Rockets Tenure Ends

D'Antoni's contract is set to expire after 2019-20, his fourth season with the Rockets.

Mike D'Antoni's contract with the Rockets expires after 2019-20, and Houston's head coach could be a hot commodity on the open market if he does not continue alongside James Harden and Co. for a fifth season.

The Pacers are one team reportedly interested in D'Antoni after they fired Nate McMillan on Wednesday. Indiana views D'Antoni as a potential "target" for its upcoming search, though economic limitations may keep ownership from pursuing the 69-year-old head coach, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

"D'Antoni isn't an inexpensive hire and that'll be a question for Pacers and small market teams with league revenue stagnant in pandemic," Wojnarowski wrote on Monday. "How far will they go to pay a coach? Indiana also plans to search pool of those they'd consider 'program builders' over long-term."

Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni — in the final year of his contract — will be an Indiana target should he become available, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 26, 2020

Indiana isn't the only potential landing spot for D'Antoni if he leaves Houston. Brooklyn could recruit D'Antoni to lead its superstar duo, and Philadelphia could do the same after Brett Brown was fired on Monday. 

D'Antoni and the Rockets negotiated a possible extension after the 2018-19 season, but contract talks broke down in May 2019. The organization has not resumed negotiations with D'Antoni, and his status for the 2020-21 season is currently unknown. 

The Rockets are in the midst of one of the most successful stretches in franchise history with D'Antoni leading the way. Houston won 50-plus games in each of the last three years before 2019-20, and the Rockets were once again on a 50-win pace this year before the season was suspended.

Houston has yet to reach the Finals under D'Antoni, though they did take the Warriors to seven games in the 2018 Western Conference finals. The Rockets are currently tied with the Thunder 2–2 in round one of West playoffs, with Game 5 slated for Wednesday. Tip-off will be at 5:30 p.m. CT.