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Brown, Rockets waste no time

May 28, 2003 8:37 AM EST

ready to call Larry Brown their top choice to replace Rudy Tomjanovich as coach. But they wasted no time treating him like he is.

Less than 24 hours after Brown became a free-agent coach, Rockets owner Leslie Alexander and general manager Carroll Dawson met with Brown and his wife, Shelly, on Tuesday in New York.

"I want to sit back with Shelly, L.J. (his son) and Madison (his daughter) and figure this out," Brown said Tuesday without commenting about the meeting itself. "I really want to coach and go to a situation where I think I can make a difference. We'll just have to wait and see."

Brown has compiled the seventh-most wins in NBA history in stints with the Nuggets, Clippers, Spurs, Nets, Pacers and 76ers. But he might not be the winningest coach on the Rockets' list.

Dallas Mavericks coach Don Nelson also has expressed interest in the position, a source said Tuesday. With the Mavs still in the playoffs, there has not been any contact between the Rockets and Nelson or his representatives. But Nelson is in the last season of his coaching contract in Dallas.

Via Houston Chronicle

Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers

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Brown quits job as coach of 76ers, Magic may feel domino effect

May 27, 2003 7:13 AM EST

Coaching lifer Larry Brown, known for rebuilding franchises and moving to the next challenge, resigned from his job with Philadelphia Monday.

His departure means that almost one-fourth of the NBA's 29 head-coaching jobs now are vacant. Within the week, the Washington Wizards are expected to fire Doug Collins, and then there would be eight available.

The league is set for one crazy summer of turnover, and in the process, even Orlando might feel the effects.

Speculation again has Magic Coach Doc Rivers as a candidate for a new job. The Houston Chronicle reported Monday that the Rockets, searching for a successor to Rudy Tomjanovich, might call Rivers. The Rockets are first expected to flirt with veteran candidates Mike Dunleavy, Jeff Van Gundy and Brown, but if those attempts fail, they would be interested in Rivers, a young, rising coach.

Via Orlando Sentinel

Orlando Magic, Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, General Basketball

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Rockets make first coaching calls

May 26, 2003 8:52 AM EST

The Rockets began their search for a successor to coach Rudy Tomjanovich in Dallas by reaching out toward Jeff Van Gundy and Mike Dunleavy, sources close to the search said Sunday.

The initial calls might not indicate priorities, because the Rockets have not received permission to talk with other coaches under contract. But they received permission from the Knicks to speak with Van Gundy, who is under contract with New York until July 31. The Rockets also made calls to set up an interview with Dunleavy.

"I haven't met with him yet. He's been pretty busy," Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson said of Van Gundy. "We haven't had a chance to sit down and talk with him. We're in no hurry. We haven't really established a timetable for this (filling the vacancy). We're just starting this.

"Everybody else seems more anxious than we are to get this thing going. We (Dawson and owner Leslie Alexander) are going to talk about everything before we meet with anyone. ... We haven't had time to sit down and discuss anything yet. When we talk, then we're going to get to work."

Via Houston Chronicle

Houston Rockets, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Orlando Magic

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Magic May 2003 Archive