Chron: Silas says Rockets job best one available

Rockets enticing to Silas
Candidate says job best one available
By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle
The Rockets' coaching search Friday moved on to the next top name of free-agent coaches when owner Leslie Alexander and general manager Carroll Dawson met with former Hornets coach Paul Silas in Houston.

Silas, who called the position with the Rockets "the premier job," was the first coach to interview in Houston, touring the Rockets' new downtown arena, offices and training facility with Dawson before meeting with Dawson and Alexander Friday afternoon.

"I've known Paul for 35 years, since he was at Creighton," Dawson said. "It was another good interview. I think it went very well. We talked about a lot of things. It was good."

Silas and former Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy, who met with the Rockets on Monday, are the top candidates for the position with the Cavaliers. Sources indicated that the Cavaliers could try to secure a coach by the end of the weekend.

"I think it's the premier job out there," Silas said. "Whoever gets it has the opportunity to really do well. They are really on the right track to do something special.

"I'm not going to say how it went because I don't know. They talked to some people before me. But you got two outstanding players here in Yao Ming and Steve Francis, and you always look for your center and point guard. You have those positions covered and they've filled in very nicely with complementary players."

Dawson said he did not talk with Silas about his other opportunity, and Silas said he did not know when the Cavaliers might make their decision.

Dawson and Alexander also met with Mike Dunleavy on Monday and with Larry Brown on Tuesday.

Like Silas and Van Gundy, both could have other options. Brown reportedly is interested in looking into returning to the Clippers and has been contacted by the Wizards, who fired coach Doug Collins Friday, about several positions. Dunleavy is considered the favorite for the position at Atlanta if David McDavid is approved as the Hawks' new owner by the June 15 deadline.

Dawson has said that the order of the interviews does not necessarily indicate preferences and that there is no top choice for the position. But Dawson said that he and Alexander likely would get together this weekend to assess the process so far and determine whether to hold more interviews or begin the process of choosing and trying to sign one of the coaches that have already interviewed.

Dawson said no other interviews are scheduled.

"We're accessing everything as we go along," Dawson said. "It was a good week. We talked with four good people. We'll probably get together and talk about the next part of the process."

Silas, 58, was dismissed by the Hornets immediately after the season despite leading New Orleans to a 47-35 record in an injury-plagued season.

One of the top rebounders in NBA history, Silas had a 208-155 record in five seasons as Hornets coach. Including three seasons as coach of the San Diego Clippers 15 years before he became head coach in Charlotte, he is 286-323 overall.