Chron: Job hunt sure to pack big-name appeal

Pat Riley? I sure would like him!


Job hunt sure to pack big-name appeal
By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle
The sudden vacancy of the Rockets' coaching position generated rare levels of attention -- and big-name buzz -- around the NBA, but Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson said late Saturday his search has not begun.

That will start today, he said, when he and Rockets owner Leslie Alexander devise a "game plan."

"We're still trying to catch our breath," Dawson said.

But a source familiar with the decision-making said Dawson could call the New York Knicks as early as today to request permission to call former Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy.

Van Gundy, a TNT analyst who is under contract with the Knicks though July 31, would not comment about the Rockets' position Saturday, other than to say he has had no conversations with anyone associated with the club about the job.

The heavy favorite to be offered the Cleveland Cavaliers position, Van Gundy said reports he already has accepted the Cavs' job are inaccurate.

Former Rockets guard Mike Dunleavy, who was greatly respected by Dawson and former Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich when he coached the Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks and Portland Trail Blazers, also is interested, sources said.

Dunleavy is considered the favorite for the positions with the Hawks and Clippers. But Dunleavy, who took the Lakers to the NBA Finals and the Trail Blazers twice to the conference finals, is expected to quickly draw the Rockets' interest because of a glowing reputation in coaching circles. He has remained a favorite of Memphis Grizzlies general manager Jerry West, who hired Dunleavy in Los Angeles and is close to Dawson.

Dawson said there are no front-runners yet because he will not get into such specifics with Alexander until today and that he has not called any candidates. But sources said Van Gundy and Dunleavy, the names first associated with the opening, are considered intriguing possibilities.

But a source said while Dawson will make the phone calls, Alexander considers this his hire and his responsibility, and that could involve a considerably wider search that could include current coaches.

Alexander has long admired Philadelphia 76ers coach Larry Brown. Before leaving for a vacation last week, Brown said he would have to consider whether it was time for the Sixers to make a coaching change. He has made similar comments after previous seasons, but his six-year stint in Philadelphia is the longest of his career. He is scheduled to meet with 76ers chairman Ed Snider on Tuesday.

But Brown has two years remaining on his contract worth $12 million, and his contract could require the Rockets to compensate the 76ers, likely with a draft pick, for signing Brown.

Orlando coach Doc Rivers is in a sense between contracts. A two-year, $10 million extension begins next season. Rivers was the 2000-2001 NBA Coach of the Year and quickly built reputation as a demanding, but well-liked coach.

Pat Riley could become the biggest name to attract Alexander's taste for big-name hires. Riley, the former Lakers and Knicks coach, is the president and coach of the Miami Heat and would not have the same level of authority with the Rockets. But he likely faces a long rebuilding job in Miami.

Alexander, a longtime Heat season-ticket holder, is as close to Heat owner Mickey Arison as he is to any owner in the league. If Riley had any interest in jumping to a team closer to the playoffs than the Heat, Arison could have interest in letting Riley jump so he could move on to a more long-term and less expensive coach.

Riley also could fit Alexander's stated desire for a proven winner, and Riley could bring the immediate credibility of five championships, while giving Alexander the sort of high-profile splash he has sought with other moves.

Former Cavaliers, 76ers, Spurs and Nuggets coach John Lucas also has expressed interest in the position and is close to many Rockets players.

Former Rockets guard Avery Johnson, who won a championship with the San Antonio Spurs and has helped with coaching while playing for the Dallas Mavericks this season, is interested in the position.

Dawson said the calls he received Saturday were almost exclusively from agents or friends calling to recommend others, rather than from potential candidates themselves.

"We've been mapping out our strategy," Dawson said. "We talked to Les quite a bit. We're getting a plan on how to go this week. It's hard to get a hold of everybody on a holiday weekend, but we will start as soon as we can. Les' idea is to get the right person, not just somebody. We're going to try to get just the right person.

"I really think that we've got a team starting to bloom. We've got the city, a new arena, an owner committed to winning. This is a team that is starting to show. We gained 15 wins last year, and we can add a couple pieces as we go along."

The Memorial Day weekend likely will not slow the Rockets' conversations with unaffiliated coaches. But several coaches and team executives who might have to give permission for talks to begin could be traveling and difficult to reach. Dawson, however, said there is no timetable for having Tomjanovich's successor in place.

"He and I are going to be searching until we find the right guy," Dawson said.

He will, however, be dealing from a strong position. In many ways, no position has had the combination of attributes since Phil Jackson brought his six championship rings to Los Angeles and the waiting potential of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal.

The Rockets can offer two young All-Star starters, Steve Francis and Yao Ming, both of whom are ambitious enough to ask for coaching criticism, and one who comes through the door at 7-foot-5.

The owner is relatively free spending and hungry, but generally does not interfere.

The general manager is among the most respected in the NBA. If Tomjanovich was a "players" coach, Dawson is a coaches' general manager.

The city is attractive to free agents. Players who have never played here choose to live in Houston.

There is a new arena ready to open by next season, complete with new offices and training facilities and whatever advantages they bring.

"We believe we have a lot to offer," Dawson said. "I think you'll see a lot of people interested in this job.

"I'm excited. But finding the right person is not going to be an easy job."

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/1924238