As his head-coaching candidacy invites deeper inspection from the Houston Rockets, the Golden State Warriors have joined in the pursuit of Charlotte Hornets assistant coach Stephen Silas, league sources told The Vertical.

Stephen Silas (NBAE/Getty Images) More

Golden State requested permission from Charlotte on Friday to discuss the Warriors’ top assistant-coaching job with Silas, league sources said. The request is considered a formality, and Silas will have the opportunity to talk to the Warriors soon. Golden State could no longer wait until the end of the playoffs to secure Luke Walton’s replacement because of Silas’ growing candidacy in Houston.

Silas was an assistant for the Warriors from 2006-10 and built a strong working relationship with two-time MVP Stephen Curry.

Houston is contemplating the pairing of Silas with ex-NBA head coach Lionel Hollins as his top assistant, league sources said. Philadelphia 76ers associate head coach Mike D’Antoni has been a frontrunner for the Rockets’ job, but Houston is taking time to measure a D’Antoni-Jeff Bzdelik partnership against a possible Silas-Hollins pairing.

Silas, 42, made a colossal impression with the Rockets’ front office in two interviews, and his preparation under well-regarded Charlotte coach Steve Clifford has pushed him into contention for the head-coaching job, league sources said. Silas met with Houston general manager Daryl Morey a second time on Thursday, a meeting that included Houston owner Leslie Alexander.

Alexander has taken a significant role in the coaching search and has long admired D’Antoni.

Another potential candidate – Brian Shaw – had been hopeful of getting the Warriors’ top assistant job, which he found preferable to accepting the offer to join Walton with the Lakers, league sources said. Shaw is a Bay Area native and still lives there.

Indiana had pursued Shaw for a return to the Pacers, where he would’ve been the top assistant on Nate McMillan’s staff, league sources said. Shaw has ruled out the Pacers, sources said.

More NBA coverage from The Vertical: