http://www.nypost.com/sports/36009.htm June 3, 2003 -- The biggest upset of the playoffs may be Jeff Van Gundy getting shut out of a coaching job. Despite numerous vacancies, Van Gundy has a good chance of working another year for TNT. Unless the Wizards jump in the fray, it's the Rockets or bust for Van Gundy. And the biggest rumor is the Rockets are leaning toward Mike Dunleavy because of Rockets GM Carroll Dawson's longtime ties with him. Dawson has known Dunleavy since 1980 when Dawson was an assistant coach for the Rockets and Dunleavy played guard. "It's down to those two and we haven't decided," Dawson claimed yesterday. "I've coached Dunleavy. I know Jeff much less. I just met him really last week and getting to know him was very interesting. He's very personable and open." Van Gundy had done more extensive interviewing with the Cavaliers, who hired Paul Silas yesterday. Both sides obviously realized Van Gundy could be a bad fit with rookie LeBron James coming aboard. According to league sources, Van Gundy's perceived win-now-at-all-costs approach and lack of patience with younger players could have led to a LeBron uprising. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'm thinking it might be Dunleavy as our new coach...
The Daily News reports that VAN will have another meeting with the Rox. http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/story/88995p-81040c.html
The title of that article is so misleading. VG hasn't lost the job yet, why the title? Lucky for us, our Fox26 guy isn't this same guy.
As soon as the Rockets bailed on Larry Brown due to money, I knew it was Dunleavy. IMO, the Rockets know Dunleavy is desperate for the job and will low ball him...probably in the $3m-$4m range. The only reason for the second JVG interview is to see what his bottomline is. I don't think they'll even interview MD a second time because I don't see Van Gundy taking a contract less than $5m.
Will you get off this money thing. The two remaining candidates have as much or more finals experience than LB, they are younger and they are infinitely more stable and reliable.
VAN GUNDY IS YOUNGER. I just wanted to say that. Carroll Dawson said that they were only going to interview one. And in the New York newspaper, they say that Jeff Van Gundy is going to be interviewed again. So it's Jeff Van Gundy! CD already knows Dunleavy very well. The 2nd interview is to get to know someone better...Jeff Van Gundy! Money...why can't they restructure Rudy's contract to about $6 million instead of 12 and use that money for Van Gundy?
I agree. If I were JVG I would seek clarification on the interview process. If it's a fishing exercise, then I wouldn't go. I think he's going to get the offer. At this point they know what kind of coach he is by his actions with the Knicks and from what he said the first interview.
You talking to me? Actually, no I won't get off the money thing. It's not a Larry Brown issue. But Brown was the Rockets number 1 choice. This is them talking here, not me! The "best team ever assembled" goes for the "best coach they can afford". The whole Brown scenario came across as "cheap" to me. We're hiding behind paying RT his $6m per year which is marginally more than a MLE signing. What impacts 2003-04 more...Brown or a realistic FA signing? Can Dunleavy or Van Gundy be as succesfull as Brown would have been? Probabaly, but it could depend on whether or not we're going to get some A1 assistants or keep the likes of Larry Smith. Don't they still have to pay him? Sounds like a good way to save money....
If they hire JVG, then I don't think it was a money issue. JVG will get good money for the job. Come to think of it, Dunleavy will command a good penny as well. Most teams aren't pursuing him because they think that he'll get either the Houston job or the Atlanta job next year. My personal opinion is that we are going to hire JVG. Otherwise, a 2nd interview wouldn't be necessary.
They can't restructure it because the story about the Rox management forcing Rudy out leaked, giving Rudy the upper hand in negotiations. The franchise could have let the story break and taken egg all over their collective faces, but instead, they just threw (well deserved) money at Rudy to get him to accept whatever front office job he ended up with. Personally, the only reason this whole situation is palatable to me is that Rudy is going to get darn near every dollar his contract was worth. I think Rudy deserved to coach next year while grooming an Xs and Os coach to take over in a year or two. I am thrilled that Rudy is going to get paid for all his hard work and the only championship team Houston has ever had (with the exception of the Aeros).
It should be determined by who is the better fit, not who is willing to take $1 mil less. You can save $1 mil anywhere. You are paying $50 mil on players and spend 100's mil on the new statium. why be stingy on $1 mil? If $1 mil is what they have in mind, they are plain cheap and stupid.
Those close ties between CD and Mike is the reason I want JVG out of the two. Terrible personel moves helped get the Rox in the position they are in now. I don't want to see the same results out of the front office with another coach.
I thought that I heard on the news that LB got the 5yr 25 million plus more pay if he reached certain incentives. Does anybody know what the are? Maybe an extra million for 60 wins or reaching the finals or winning the finals. Maybe HOUSTON could do that produce and get paid for it!
I just hope the Rockets are not interviewing JVG just so they can publically present the face of a thorough, open, search and claim Dunleavy was the best man.
