Rockets HC Mike D'Antoni Reportedly Traveling with Team to Orlando Amid COVID-19

The Houston Rockets will reportedly have their head coach when the 2019-20 NBA season restarts in Orlando, Florida later this month.

According to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, Mike D'Antoni traveled with the Rockets on their team flight to Florida on Thursday. MacMahon noted the 69-year-old underwent medical screenings that came back without any concerns, meaning he will coach while wearing a mask.

This comes after ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Wednesday that New Orleans Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry, who is 65 years old, was also cleared to travel with his team to the bubble.

D'Antoni doesn't believe coaching with a mask will pose much of a problem and advocated for the practice beyond just the court as the United States attempts to get a handle on the COVID-19 pandemic.

He told Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times:

"I'll wear a mask. That's what I do walking down the street here or going into a grocery store. Wear a mask. I don't understand the other reasoning behind not. Now, I don't think it'll interfere with my coaching. They can hear me; they know what I'm saying. If we have a problem, you know, maybe we'll figure something out, but I don't think that's a problem."

He also joked that it was a "plus" that "the referees won't be able to see my lips move and they won't know if I'm yelling at them or not."

D'Antoni's Rockets are 40-24 and tied with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference. They are also just one game behind the Utah Jazz for the No. 4 seed and 2.5 games back of the Denver Nuggets for the No. 3 seed.

Few teams in the league can match the backcourt star power of James Harden and Russell Westbrook, so Houston will have an opportunity to challenge in the Western Conference when the season does restart. That is especially the case if it can move up in the standings during the eight regular-season contests prior to the playoffs.

Houston's first game in Florida is scheduled for July 31 against the Dallas Mavericks.