Nine years ago this week, the Rockets ended Jeff Van Gundy’s tenure in Houston. There was some controversy involved. Van Gundy had been annoyed the previous year when Rockets owner Les Alexander hired general manager Daryl Morey to eventually replace veteran executive Carroll Dawson without consulting Van Gundy, and the two sides — Alexander and Morey on one, Van Gundy on another — were uncertain on how to proceed once the Rockets’ season ended in a disappointing first-round playoff loss to the Jazz.
Morey and Alexander claimed Van Gundy was making up his mind about what to do next and had given his OK for the Rockets’ front office to seek new candidates.