Life can change fast in the NBA, and the Houston Rockets are a classic example of how quickly things can go in either direction. In 2018, the Rockets were a game away from making it to the NBA Finals. Led by James Harden (who won the MVP that season and is now with the Philadelphia 76ers) and Chris Paul (now with the Phoenix Suns), Houston had a squad with visions of bringing the city of Houston its first basketball title since 1995.

Unfortunately for the Rockets, the Golden State Warriors prevented them from getting to their goal, first in the Western Conference Finals in 2018, then the conference semifinals in 2019. After those years, Houston wanted to retool, and decided to trade Paul to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Russell Westbrook. The move, while flashy, resulted in the Rockets going out in the same round as the season before, this time to the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers in the 2020 bubble.

It was then when Houston changed coaches, going from Mike D'Antoni to Stephen Silas. It was thought the move to Silas would be a fresh voice, something that might be needed to get the Rockets over the top. Instead, it turned out to be the start of a free fall that is still going for the team. Both Westbrook and Harden would demand trades out of Houston, and all of a sudden, a rebuild was squarely on the franchise's doorstep.

In the years following, Houston has been a perennial lottery team, struggling to put any sort of consistency together. Silas wasn't dealt the best hand upon becoming the Rockets' coach, but he did seem overwhelmed with the task at times. After the conclusion of the 2022-23 season, Silas is now out, and Houston is on the search for a replacement.

Whoever does get the gig will have an abundance of young talent to work with, led by Kevin Porter Jr., Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. They'll also have another high pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. If it's the No. 1 pick they win in the lottery, they could have the unicorn known as Victor Wembanyama coming to the Rockets. The question is who are the best candidates for the job, and I have three guys Houston should strongly consider giving a look at.

3. Nick Nurse

This one is a bit of a wild card, and there are things to work out if this is to be considered an option. With that said, if Nurse does become available, there's no reason why the Rockets shouldn't gauge his interest. Nurse won a title with the Toronto Raptors in his first season as the team's head coach (2019). He's widely know as one of the best coaches in the league, and he could provided the mentality needed to get the best from the young talent.

Nurse has one year left on his current deal with the Raptors, but there are rumblings a divorce between the two might be in the works. If there is a parting of the ways, Houston should absolutely see if the desire to coach is still there. As noted earlier, it's understood Nurse is still the head man in Toronto, and they're preparing to play the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament. All of this is said with the caveat Nurse becomes available.

2. Jeff Van Gundy

Talk about a wild card, huh? Van Gundy would be exactly that. It's known he hasn't coached since 2007, when he was with the Rockets (ironically). Being out of the coaching game for over a decade and a half could present its downfalls, but it's not like Van Gundy hasn't been busy the whole time. He's been an analyst for ESPN/ABC, and for that reason, he would have an understanding of the NBA landscape.

Along with that, he resides in Houston, and probably knows a little about what the Rockets are trying to build. Being an analyst has its perks, and it would be logical to believe Van Gundy wouldn't want to give that up. Whether or not he would be patient enough to deal with all of that youth is also questionable. Neither one of those items should stop Houston from giving Van Gundy a call.

1. Ime Udoka

It's true we still don't really know what Udoka did to get removed from the head coaching position with the Boston Celtics, but what is known is his ability to coach. Udoka was able to get the Celtics to the NBA Finals in his first (and only) season as the man in charge, and as late as the All-Star Break, it was questionable if Boston would make the playoffs before the second half surge.

I'm not saying the Rockets have a similar team to the Celtics, but the talent Houston has is something that can become cohesive with the right voice. Udoka could be that guy. There would have to be an extensive vetting process before deciding to hire him, but if everything passes, this has to be the move to make.