Chron: Rockets make first coaching calls

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/1924975

May 25, 2003, 11:21PM

Rockets make first coaching calls
Feelers put out for Van Gundy, Dunleavy
By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle
The Rockets began their search for a successor for Rudy Tomjanovich in Dallas by reaching out toward Jeff Van Gundy and Mike Dunleavy, sources close to the search said Sunday.

The initial calls might not indicate priorities because the Rockets have not received permission to talk with other coaches under contract. But they received permission from the Knicks to speak with Van Gundy, who is under contract with the Knicks until July 31. The Rockets also made calls to set up an interview with Dunleavy.

"I haven't met with him yet. He's been pretty busy here," Dawson said of Van Gundy. "We haven't had a chance to sit down and talk with him. We're in no hurry. We haven't really established a timetable for this (filling the vacancy). We're just starting this.

"Everybody else seems more anxious than we are to get this thing going," Dawson said. "We (owner Leslie Alexander and Dawson) are going to talk about everything before we meet with anyone. We just got in, so we haven't had time to sit down and discuss anything yet. When we talk, then we're going to get to work."

Van Gundy would not comment.

"Why should I say anything," Van Gundy said. "Nothing good can come of that. I'll let the team say anything that needs to be said."

Dawson and Alexander, who will meet with all the candidates, attended the Western Conference Finals game between the Mavericks and Spurs at American Airlines Center with Dunleavy, a Fort Worth resident, in the crowd and Van Gundy courtside working for TNT.

Dawson said Sunday that he had not reached any other team officials to ask to speak with any coach currently affiliated with a NBA team.

Sources, however, said the Rockets will look into talking with Magic coach Doc Rivers and 76ers coach Larry Brown.

Rivers has a two-year contract extension scheduled to begin next season, but both Rivers and the Magic have an option on the extension, potentially allowing Rivers to consider a move before exercising his option.

Brown said after the 76ers were eliminated from the playoffs that he would consider whether he was still the right coach to guide the 76ers. He has been on vacation since and has expressed similar sentiments after previous seasons. He is scheduled to meet with 76ers chairman Ed Snider on Tuesday.

Former Hornets coach Paul Silas, who like Van Gundy is a candidate in Cleveland, said Sunday he has not been contacted. He would not comment about his interest in the position.

His agent, Lonnie Cooper, however, said that the position would inspire interest throughout the league.

"Every coach in the league will be interested in the position," said Cooper, who represents many NBA coaches including Silas and Mike Fratello, one of the top candidates to replace Silas in New Orleans. "It's a great organization, and they have great young talent. There is a lot of upside there."

Dawson said Sunday that it was too soon to consider anyone a favorite for the position.

"I don't think there will be a front-runner until we talk and until we talk with people," Dawson said. "It's kind of hard to find some people on the holiday weekend."

But whenever the Rockets "hit the ground running," they could have some difficult choices to make.

A clause in Brown's contract could prevent Brown from moving to another team, although speculation has already begun that he might also consider returning to Denver and Los Angeles.

Brown worked with Tomjanovich and Rockets vice president and trainer Keith Jones on the 2000 Olympic team. Though there was obvious tension with Brown and that staff, Tomjanovich, Dawson and Jones have continued to admire his work and even a style very different from Tomjanovich's.

Where Tomjanovich prefers to build confidence in players, prioritizing areas to emphasize, Brown can be hypercritical.

Brown typically runs an offense entirely different from Tomjanovich's, a style that could appeal to Alexander. Tomjanovich has always believed in getting the ball to his top players quickly and forcing defenses to adjust to them. Brown ends possessions by getting the ball to his best of the players. Generally speaking, in Tomjanovich's offense, the action -- ball or player movement -- begins after the top player is in position with the ball. In Brown's offense, the action gets the top players the ball in position to score.

Though he can be hesitant to play young players, Brown is also considered among the game's top teachers, a quality expected to be one of the Rockets priorities.

Brown and Rockets guard Steve Francis clashed at the end of a Rockets' rout in Philadelphia in the 2000-01 season when Shandon Anderson threw an alley oop to Dan Langhi to end the game. But weeks later at the All Star game in Washington, D.C., they talked and came to an understanding and mutual respect. Brown has since often praised Francis and also has rushed to praise Cuttino Mobley. Before a game in Houston last season, he said Francis and Mobley deserve Olympic team consideration.

Brown can be wildly impatient on personnel decisions. But if he were to jump to the Rockets, he likely would choose to concentrate on coaching the talent on hand, particularly given Dawson's reputation around the league.

Rivers does not have as long a resume as some of the other expected candidates. But he has quickly gained a reputation for being demanding with young players, but also won their support. He is also considered an excellent teacher. His relatively recent experience as a player, particularly as a point guard, could also be a plus.

Known as an outstanding leader as a player, Rivers played for the Clippers when Jones worked in Los Angeles.

Van Gundy can bring the stern hand the Rockets would like, but has shown an ability to be demanding without losing his players' support or respect. He also has had great success with his teams' most celebrated and influential players, beginning with Patrick Ewing but including Charles Oakley, Latrell Sprewell and Anthony Mason.

Van Gundy has long been considered a top defensive coach, so much so that when Don Nelson coached the Knicks, he handed the defensive responsibilities to Van Gundy. The Rockets, however, might be leery of Van Gundy's history with slow-down, half-court offensive teams.

Van Gundy, however, is the hottest name out there that is not currently coaching another team. That, along with his work ethic and a reputation enhanced by his television work, will likely appeal to Alexander.

Dunleavy could bring Alexander many of the qualities he admired most in Tomjanovich and also some of the changes he is seeking. Many of Dunleavy's philosophies about working with players and his staff mirror Tomjanovich's. He expects input from his assistants. He has worked with even the most incorrigible players -- Rasheed Wallace and J.R. Rider -- but kept criticism behind closed doors. He has, however, been the effective disciplinarian the Rockets are likely to seek.

Dunleavy has succeeded, taking the Lakers to the NBA Finals and the Trail Blazers to the conference finals twice, providing a track record that indicate he would make some changes.

He is a strong proponent of an inside-out offense. Dunleavy also would put a priority on creating a much more up-tempo style, pressing to create tempo and forcing the Rockets to finally run. He also has built a strong track record for working with international centers that either needed to be developed (Vlade Divac) or to make a tough transition quickly (Arvydas Sabonis).

"Everybody's asking about the job," Dawson said. "I think we have a pretty attractive club with a lot of good players."

Chronicle staff writer Michael Murphy contributed to this report.

 

Seemed more to me that Jeff was implying that Feigen might be hearing the same stuff Clutch (and Jeff) is about Brown being the most likely candidate.