After suffering three first round playoff exits under Jeff Van Gundy, the Houston Rockets decided it was time for a change. Their search for a new coach didn’t last long, as the Rockets announced the hiring of former Kings coach Rick Adelman. If Adelman’s stint in Sacramento is any indication, the Rockets will soon be trading in first round exits for even more painful losses in the Western Conference Semifinals and Finals.

Houston television station KRIV first reported on Monday night, citing unidentified league sources, Adelman and the Rockets have reached a preliminary agreement and his hiring will be announced in a news conference Wednesday.

When Adelman was fired unceremoniously by the Kings, I didn’t expect him to be out of work very long. His impact in the Kings’ locker room was clear when Eric Musselman quickly hit the bottle and drove soon after being hired. Things got worse for the Kings when they sputtered to their worst record in eight years. Adelman inherited a bad situation in Sac-Town. This one looks a lot better.

He’s responsible for ushering in an era of truly entertaining basketball with the Kings. He utilized Vlade Divac and made him one of the most versatile centers in the league. Look for Yao’s passing abilities and range to be a major focal point in the new Rockets. Then there’s Tracy McGrady, the talented go-to guy on the perimeter that the Kings lacked during Adelman’s tenure. Will he be able to usher in an era of success, similar to the one he built in Portland and Sacramento? We’ll soon find out.