The Houston Rockets are in the spotlight as assistant coach Royal Ivey emerges as a candidate for the Dallas Mavericks head coaching position. Following the exit of former head coach Jason Kidd, the Mavericks, under the leadership of new president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri, are actively seeking a new coach. NBA insider Marc Stein reports that Ivey is on their radar. Although Ivey has not yet held a head coaching role in the NBA, he brings valuable experience from his time as an assistant with four franchises, including the Oklahoma City Thunder, Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, and Houston Rockets. Since 2021, Ivey has also served as the head coach of the South Sudan National Team, successfully guiding them to the upcoming 2024 Olympics. Joining the Houston Rockets bench in 2023, Ivey has remained a key part of the coaching staff despite the transition from Stephen Silas to Ime Udoka. Other candidates for the Mavericks' head coaching vacancy include Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori and former Golden State Warriors assistant Terry Stotts.