KRT: Cleveland no longer in the mix for Larry Brown

Looks like Larry Brown is going for Clippers or Rockets. Jeff Van Gundy Rockets or Cleveland.


As the Sixers turn: Van Gundy says no, Cheeks miffed
BY STEPHEN A. SMITH
Knight Ridder Newspapers

PHILADELPHIA - (KRT) - A day after the 76ers were denied permission to interview Portland Trail Blazers coach Maurice Cheeks for their vacant head coaching job, the stage was being set Thursday morning for an interview with former New York Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy.

By afternoon, Van Gundy was out of the question, Sixers officials were huddling, hoping another game plan would not go awry, and Cheeks was fuming over the whole situation.

"All I can tell you is that Mo is extremely upset about it," an NBA source close to the situation said Thursday night. "Mo wasn't lying when he said that if it were anyplace else, it would've been a non-issue. He understands the business and that Portland did what it had to do.

"But . . . it's Philadelphia. Everyone knows he wants to be in Philadelphia. Plus, the Blazers didn't even extend his contract; they gave him no compensation whatsoever, and that's what has him mad."

Portland has Cheeks under contract for one more season with an option to extend the contract through the 2004-2005 season.

The question now is whether Cheeks is angry enough to attempt to force Portland's hand and tell the Blazers he will be gone after next season. That could force the team to contemplate parting ways with Cheeks now for compensation.

It also is unclear whether the Sixers' chairman, Ed Snider, would be willing to forfeit compensation, despite having an additional $12 million available with Brown's departure.

"All I know right now is that Mo can't say a word," the source said. "He isn't stupid."

The Sixers, meanwhile, had no comment.

New team president and general manager Billy King spent all day Thursday "in meetings," according to the Sixers, and was unavailable.

So with Cheeks and the Sixers' staff on mute, speculation moved from Van Gundy to the University of Kentucky's Tubby Smith and the University of Memphis' John Calipari.

The Sixers suffered a public-relations blow when Smith dispelled rumors of a possible arrival in Philadelphia by saying of Kentucky, "I have a good job, a very good job, and I don't need that kind of headache."

Smith, who recently signed an eight-year, $20.25 million extension with the Wildcats, said that despite knowing the Sixers would be willing to cough up $4 million to $5 million per season to grab him.

Then the Sixers sought and received permission from the Knicks to talk with Van Gundy, who resigned last season as coach but remains under contract with New York until July 31. They learned that Van Gundy wasn't interested in the Sixers' post.

"We mutually agreed it wasn't a good fit," Van Gundy, a candidate in both Houston and Cleveland, told Comcast SportsNet on Thursday.

According to a number of league sources, Calipari - fearful of potential realignment within Conference USA, which could put Memphis in a considerably weaker league - is aching for the opportunity to coach in Philadelphia. By all accounts, he's qualified.

Success on the collegiate level, NBA experience, a close relationship with Brown and an ability to coach stars qualify as his biggest strength.

The problem? Calipari is a name, a personality. That, coupled with King's eagerness to to leave his own indelible mark doesn't appear to be a good mix at this time.

Meanwhile, the Sixers may be learning that their head coaching vacancy is not as attractive as the openings in Cleveland and Houston. It may not even be as attractive as jobs with New Orleans, the Los Angeles Clippers or Toronto.

<b>
"I had no idea I would be getting this many calls," Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson said Thursday. "Quite honestly, I thought we'd talk to a few guys (Brown, Van Gundy and Mike Dunleavy among them). But I've gotten over 30 phone calls. It's absolutely amazing how many guys, quality guys, have been interested in this job."

Larry Brown, the Sixers' former coach and vice president of basketball operations, could not be reached either, as he reportedly was contemplating a potential move to the Rockets.

Cleveland no longer appears to be in the mix for Brown, since both Van Gundy and Paul Silas have been called back twice for interviews.
</b>