Rockets Ex Stephen Silas Great Hire For Pistons' Coach Monty Williams

Former coach Stephen Silas took his spot on the Houston Rockets' podium ahead of a mid-season contest against the Dallas Mavericks during the 2021-22 campaign.

Between answering questions, Silas was interrupted by Luka Doncic. He stuck his head into the media room and shouted, "hey Stephen," with a huge smile on his face. Silas smiled back and greeted his former player.

The interaction was brief. But Doncic's exchange with Silas demonstrated the relationship the respective parties built during their two seasons together in Dallas.

Silas served as lead assistant under Rick Carlisle during Doncic's first two seasons in the league. The four-time All-Star grew fond of Silas while crediting him for his early career development.

The Rockets moved on from Silas in April. And two months after his departure, Silas reprised his role as a lead assistant. ESPN was the first to report Silas' hiring under coach Monty Williams to join the Detroit Pistons' staff Monday morning.

"He’s amazing," Doncic said in March. "He’s a great guy and a great coach. He helped me a lot. You guys saw how we played offense [under him]. He’s just a great person."

Silas' first head coaching job did not go as planned. Instead of helping extend Houston's championship window with a pair of Hall-of-Famers, he had to guide the Rockets through phase I of their rebuilding project.

He won 59 games during his three-year coaching tenure. But the growth his players experienced under his tutelage was Silas' greatest reward.

Jalen Green received a blueprint from Silas during his rookie season to help with his early career development. The blueprint consisted of notes Silas collected throughout his 20-year career as an assistant, and details shared have Green on the brink of stardom ahead of his third season.

Jabari Smith Jr. had a rocky start to his rookie year. But due to Silas' unwavering confidence, Smith averaged 16.0 points on 47.2 percent shooting and 7.7 rebounds over the final 20 games of the 2022-23 season.

But Silas' most significant reward as coach of the Rockets was providing Kevin Porter Jr. the support needed to overcome the struggles that plagued his career.

"Everyone knows by now my relationship with Silas," Porter said in April. "He has been someone that welcomed me from day one, and it just built from that.

"I am glad I got the chance to build our relationship and have a relationship with a man and a person like that, first and foremost. Playing under a coach like that who cares about his players more than anything. It was a blessing to have that relationship and contain that relationship."

Young players have always enhanced their game under Silas — whether he was at the helm of a franchise or as an assistant. 

The list of prospects Silas helped develop made Baron Davis and Kemba Walker All-Star guards in Charlotte. He also helped lay an early foundation for the Hall-of-Fame careers of LeBron James and Stephen Curry.

Teaching has always been Silas' best attribute as a coach, which will be beneficial while assisting Williams with the developments of Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey in Detroit. 

"He is a great teacher," Charlotte Hornets coach Steve Clifford said. "The way he can present things in front of players. Whether it's a fundamental drill or a game plan, he is very knowledgeable but can teach it in a way players can understand it."

During his final season with the Mavericks, Silas orchestrated the most efficient offense in league history, which helped Dallas end a three-year post-season drought in 2020.

Repeating his success in Detroit will eventually help the Pistons return to their glory days as an Eastern Conference powerhouse while Doncic continues to support Silas from afar.