Van Gundy Signs with Cavs!!!!

Jeff Van Gundy is about to sign a 5 year $25 million contract with the Cavs!!!


New York Post

SAN ANTONIO - Just when it appeared free agent Larry Brown, having commandeered the coaching carousel upon resigning from the 76ers, had the sway to get off at whatever NBA pit stop he pleased, Cavalier chatter reconfirms a previous report in this space that Jeff Van Gundy will sign momentarily with Cleveland.

While Van Gundy has been toying with the Rockets and 76ers (or was it the other way around?), his representative has been negotiating with the Cavs, who had targeted him weeks ago as their No. 1 choice, just ahead of Paul Silas.

At first, it looked as if the dialogue wouldn't go beyond the preliminary stage. Gordon Gund and GM Jim Paxson were put off by suggestions that the former Knick fatalist wanted an annual salary of $7 million and veto power/control regarding personnel decisions. Compromise and reason have prevailed on both sides of the table from that point on, which is expected to yield a five-year agreement in the vicinity of $25 million.

In fact, things progressed so swiftly and satisfactorily that the Cavs never felt the urge to romance Brown. Not that he would've had time to fit another interview into his hectic schedule, anyway.

A few days ago, Rocket owner Les Alexander met with Brown in New York, The next day, Brown was in Los Angeles, presumably to get together with Clipper compadre Donald Sterling, and yesterday he was back east for a sit-down with another team in his quest to become the highest-paid coach ($8M) of all time.



Which team was it? Could've be anyone - the Raptors, the Hornets, the Wizards. I even hear Brown's considering the Hawks just in case he wants to step away from the NBA for a while.

There are so many openings it's kind of cruel Larry can only take (and leave) one at a time. I'm told he got so confused the other day he even called the Sixers about their vacancy.

I'm officially off the fence concerning who'll be appointed Hornets coach. I say it'll be Tim Floyd, because those in the know say it'll be Tim Floyd; the announcement's about a week to 10 days away. That leaves Mike Fratello sitting alongside TNT partner Marv Albert for another season sipping tepid cups of grand cappuccino.

The Raptors were the only other team to give Fratello a call, and there was no follow-up; evidently either Sonic assistant Dwayne Casey or Piston assistant Kevin O'Neill will fill that void.

Any day now, look for Abe Pollin to reach a settlement with Doug Collins on his two remaining years; nobody associated with Michael Jordan's entourage will survive the Wiz owner's purge.

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Far be it from me to break James Dolan's one-dimensional train of thought, or in any way insinuate Don Chaney (and Scott Layden) could ever be efficiently replaced, but wouldn't it make at least marginal sense for the Knicks to entertain the dimly lit idea of engaging the charismatic Brown in some conversation while the Olympic coach-in-waiting is unemployed and there's no compensation due the Sixers?

We can speculate all we want about which situation is more appealing to him, but for Larry Long Beach, they all pale (except UNC) in comparison to performing Off Broadway and 33rd Street.

You can't tell me Brown wouldn't lunge at the chance to work in New York if only Dolan were savvy enough to seize the fleeting moment.

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By all accounts, Mike Dunleavy had a great interview with the Rockets. ... Avery Johnson, who has one year left ($5.445M) on his Maverick contact, will also audition for the job. Look for him to switch allegiance to Houston during the offseason regardless of whether he's ready to be a head coach; Avery simply will strap on the training wheels for a few years. ...

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