Van Gundy refused agreement to play Lebron

June 1, 2003 -- THE COACHING carousel completely came off its tracks within the last 24 hours:

Jeff Van Gundy, I'm informed, abruptly terminated negotiations with the Cavaliers because of something GM Jim Paxson said. Rick Carlisle was suddenly ousted by the Pistons despite guiding them to two straight playoff berths, including this season's third-round finish; and Larry Brown, whose 76ers lost a six-game series to Detroit ("I've got losers," declared Piston VP Joe Dumars), has agreed to a $30 million (excluding deferrals), five-year deal that will be become official early this week.

After 35 years of covering the National Bizarre Association you'd think by now I'd be fairly attuned and immune, to how things work — business as unusual; nothing is ever as it seems — and whose oath isn't worth the flash paper it's written on. So, how come I feel like I just lost my virginity? Repeatedly?

As I've always said, "you're only as good as your sources." And a few of 'em, whom I have solid, long-standing reason to trust — Dumars, for example — have led me astray . . . though not intentionally, they testify. The per-jury is still out on that!

According to those same sources, extenuating circumstances radically changed everything in Cleveland and Detroit, which wound up jerking around Brown's plans as well.

Let's start with the Cavaliers. Everything appeared to going smoothly regarding Van Gundy's hiring until Paxson tried to undermine his coach before he was even hired.

"Are you a man of your word?" Paxson asked.

"Yes, I am. But what are you talking about?"

"What I mean is, if you make an agreement to play certain players a number of minutes will you abide by it?" Paxson explained, obviously referring to LeBron James and the importance of him seeing quantity daylight so management can market him.

"I'm a coach," Van Gundy replied, angrily. "I don't make agreements like that. I play the players the amount of minutes they deserve to play."

Yesterday, Van Gundy alerted at least three confidants he is now officially a Cav-Not.

http://www.nypost.com/sports/58287.htm

Looks like Van Gundy doesn't have any Dunleavy-like desperation to get hired.