http://www.nj.com/sports/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-2/1054535524301390.xml As jobs fill, Van Gundy on hold Cavs settle on Silas, Pistons go with Brown Monday, June 02, 2003 BY DAVE D'ALESSANDRO Star-Ledger Staff It was not about money, it was not about LeBron James' playing time, and frankly, Jeff Van Gundy said, he had no idea why a job that he had seemed certain to get suddenly blew up Saturday morning. "Hey, it's a business," Van Gundy said yesterday, one day after the Cleveland Cavaliers told him he was being erased from their list of coaching candidates. "They decided on someone else, and they got a great guy (in Paul Silas). Really, I'm fine with that." The Associated Press, citing two unnamed sources, reported that the Cavaliers had settled on Silas and that a long-term contract was being finalized. The AP also reported that, according to a source within the league, Brown will be introduced as Pistons coach at a news conference today. Driving along the West Side Highway yesterday, on his way to the Liberty game, Van Gundy gave no signs of either disappointment or relief. There was plenty of reason for the former, because the Cavs job was one of the more enticing of the 10 positions available. And there could have been ample cause for the latter, if the reportedly contentious exchange with Cleveland GM Jim Paxson is accurate. According to a New York Post report, Paxson pressured Van Gundy to commit a certain amount of playing time to James, and the former Knicks coach allegedly responded that no GM will dictate how he allots the minutes. "I have no idea where that came from," Van Gundy said, laughing loudly. "There was no difference of opinion on anything at all. All those things that were written are just not accurate. (James' minutes) never came up." "I really don't know what happened, (owner) Gordon Gund and Jim Paxson are really great people, and I enjoyed speaking with them." He said that no contract offer was ever made. "And I'm still not sure what I'd have done even if they did offer one," he added. When asked whether the Cavs' about-face was a money issue, Van Gundy responded, "No, not at all. I knew the parameters going in, and they were fine." The only thing Paxson told him was, "We're going to go in a different direction." "I'm fine with that. It is what it is," Van Gundy said. "I still have options. If another offer to talk comes along, fine, I'll consider it. If not, I'll wait." The wait may drag into next year. He has just completed his second season as a TNT analyst, and a third year at the mike may be his only option right now. He has already turned down requests from New Orleans and Philadelphia for interviews. And Houston hasn't called to schedule a second interview, though the Rockets are likely to take their time. Among the other jobs that are vacant, only Washington is considered attractive.
Just when we though that Peter Vescey's credibility as a writer couldn't be any lower ......................... Glad JVG came out and said that the conversation that Vescey noted in his article never happened. Vescey disgusts me.
that's absurd! ny post articles don't have any legitimacy to them? maybe i should start going to hoopsworld.com again.
I'd pick up Dunleavy before I would pick up Van Gundy. He's a lot like Rudy, except for the fact that he works with his players differently. Rudy is great with veterans and star players. He knows how to make them happy and play at their best. This is why the Rockets of '94 were helped so much by Rudy. Dunleavy on the other hand is great with younger talent and with egos. Just look at how he brought the Blazers to the Western Conference Finals with screw ups like Pippen, Wallace, Bonzi, and Staud. Anyone who can get anything out of a bunch of ego driven players like those deserves a medal. Now, he won't be as good defensivly as Brown or Gundy would have been, but I think what he can do, which is more important, will be being able to get the best out of each player. If our players play to the best of their abilities, there's no telling what the Rockets can do.
Yup, he is so good that he has gotten canned where ever he's been. He is so great that he has been out of coaching for so long.
