Sixers' Sam Cassell has interview scheduled for Rockets head coaching job

We already heard last week that the Sixers had given the Rockets permission to interview Sam Cassell for the head coaching job in Houston.

The Rockets were working on organizing an interview to be held during the playoffs, and The Athletic's Kelly Iko has now reported that Cassell’s interview is scheduled for Sunday.

As I mentioned in last week’s report when this story first emerged, Cassell makes a lot of sense for a team like the Rockets.

For one, Cassell has been highly respected as an assistant coach around the NBA for many years now, and has a long track record of helping young players, particularly guards like John Wall (during Cassell’s time with the Wizards from 2009 to 2014) and the Sixers’ own Tyrese Maxey. With Cassell’s clear knack for development and extensive experience after 14 years working as an assistant coach, Houston’s young roster — that needs to grow and develop far more structure — seems like a logical fit. Not to mention the fact that Cassell has his own connection with the Rockets after being an important part of their championship-winning teams in 1994 and 1995.

We had a fun postgame moment from Cassell just this week as well, when he came through the Sixers’ Game 2 press conference cheering for Maxey.

Cassell just seems to make a positive impact wherever he goes.

With how highly Sixers players have spoken of Cassell ever since he arrived, and the connection you can see between them, it’s clear Cassell has made quite a mark in Philadelphia.

He’d be sorely missed on the team’s coaching staff, but he’s more than earned a head coaching opportunity this offseason if a team like Houston is ready to offer it to him. Cassell departing for a promotion would hardly be surprising at this point.