Mike D'Antoni's Contract Option Picked Up by Rockets

The Houston Rockets have exercised their team option on Mike D'Antoni's contract, keeping him with the franchise through the 2019-20 season, the Rockets announced Wednesday.

Mark Berman of Fox 26 first reported the news.

D'Antoni, 67, has led the Rockets to a 120-44 record over the last two seasons. Houston was the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and came within a game of reaching the NBA Finals before losing to eventual champion Golden State.

Picking up the option was little more than a formality. The Rockets are arguably a Chris Paul injury away from being NBA champions right now. Paul missed Games 6 and 7 of the Western Conference Finals after straining his hamstring, and the Rockets lost both of those contests.

With Paul expected to return in free agency and James Harden coming off an MVP-winning season, Houston is among the three or four teams capable of winning an NBA championship in 2018-19. The Rockets are expected to reload their roster somewhat this offseason as well. The LeBron James dream appears to be going up in smoke, but they'll be able to find some relatively cheap veterans to shore up the lineup.

It's likely Daryl Morey will dangle draft picks to get out from under Ryan Anderson's contract and find a difference-maker who can help in the postseason.

D'Antoni, meanwhile, is getting to write a proper final chapter to his coaching career after miserable stints with the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks. One of the greatest basketball innovators of the 21st century, D'Antoni has a general manager in Morey who has fully embraced his style.