As long as it isn’t an acting comeback, I encourage him to try. From the New York Post’s Marc Berman.
Retired former Knick Allan Houston joined the team here yesterday to help out Larry Brown, but he sounded more intrigued about playing again than coaching.
Houston, who retired during training camp because of arthritic knees, said he’s unsure he wants to get involved in coaching because it’s “time-consuming.” However, Houston said for the first time he wasn’t closing the door to a return, however unlikely.
Houston, with his medical retirement, wouldn’t be able to play again until his contract expires after next season, when he will be 36. Houston said his knees feel better and he would play for the minimum.
“Don’t think it’s something I haven’t thought about,” said Houston, who is more likely to join the front office.
Indeed, coaching is very time-consuming. And very bad for one’s health.
The Post’s Peter Vescey suggests that Larry Bird’s recent vote of confidence on behalf of Pacers coach Rick Carlisle could’ve come a bit sooner, while also citing the latter’s “impromptu piano playing in hotel lobbies.”
Considering the pervasive Pacers conflict (players vs. coaches, players vs. players and assistant vs. assistant) that has been going on since early last season, it’s bewildering Indiana’s president of basketball operations, Larry Bird, didn’t declare coach Rick Carlisle safe for next season until there were five games left on the schedule, until NBA columnists throughout the country had Carlisle in severe job jeopardy.
I’m not saying Bird’s vocal support of his long-time friend/former assistant is justified. Still, had Bird thrown his authority behind Carlisle noticeably sooner, even the most perplexed players would’ve understood the won-lost record is on them, which may or may not have made them more coachable.
Maybe that was Warren LeGarie’s message last week at the Portsmouth Tournament when a number of attendees witnessed Carlisle’s San Francisco-based agent venting boisterously to Bird and Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh, who matched him salvo for salvo. Could it be LeGarie demanded to know why they haven’t had his client’s back? Several days later Bird issued just such a statement.
What a coincidence!