Michael Malone, lead assistant coach for the Hornets, is a candidate for the vacant Houston Rockets head coaching job, according to league sources.

Daryl Morey and the Rockets have not yet requested permission to speak to Malone.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen with all of that, but I know he’s held in high regard throughout the league and it’s only a matter of time,’’ Hornets Coach Monty Williams said.

“He’s put the work in; he’s got a lot of respect for the position of head coach. He hasn’t gone after jobs the way I’ve seen other guys do. He’s a prime candidate.''

“My whole focus right now is on beating the Lakers,’’ Malone said after Tuesday’s practice. “As I said many times before, I have aspirations of being a head coach, but the No. 1 task at hand right now is helping this team and helping Monty anyway I can in terms of preparing for Game 2 and the rest of this series and whatever series after that.’’

Before Williams hired Malone, he spent five seasons as an assistant with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Malone’s father, Brendan Malone, is an assistant with the Orlando Magic and former head coach of the Cavaliers.