Hall of Fame coach Jerry Sloan likely will meet with Charlotte Bobcats management about their job opening, an informed source confirmed Tuesday evening.
Sloan, who turned 70 in March, has been out of coaching the past 11/2 seasons after a 22-plus season tenure with the Utah Jazz. Sloan told the Salt Lake Tribune on Tuesday he’s ready to return to coaching and is interested in working for Bobcats owner Michael Jordan.
Sloan told the Tribune he wasn’t turned off by the idea of taking over a team that went 7-59 this season – the worst winning percentage in NBA history.
“Obviously we wouldn’t win right off the bat,” Sloan said of the Bobcats. “But sometimes it’s not all about starting on top.”
Sloan indicated he’d be interested in the opening in Orlando but hadn’t heard from the Magic after coach Stan Van Gundy was fired Monday.
Sloan and Jordan have had longtime respect for each other. Sloan’s Jazz teams advanced to the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998, only to be eliminated both times by Jordan’s Chicago Bulls teams.
Sloan indicated to the Tribune he might meet soon with Jordan about the opening. Coincidentally there is a major motorcycle race in Salt Lake City this weekend which Jordan has attended in the past. Sloan has a farm in Illinois, but told the Tribune he was headed back to Salt Lake City this week.
Sloan coached 19 Jazz teams to the playoffs. His regular-season record (he also coached the Bulls three seasons from 1979 to 1982) is 1,221-803, a 60.3 winning percentage.
After resigning from the Jazz, Sloan received feelers from a handful of NBA teams last offseason. He said he wasn’t yet ready to return to the bench, though an overture from the Indiana Pacers was of the most interest.
Now he seems recharged and bored in retirement. Certainly he’d be challenged by the prospect of putting the Bobcats back on firm footing.
Sloan would join a long list of candidates the Bobcats have interviewed. Most recently they talked with former Portland Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan.
Others interviewed include Bobcats assistant Stephen Silas, Golden State Warriors assistant Michael Malone, Memphis Grizzlies assistant Dave Joerger, Magic assistant Patrick Ewing, Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Nate Tibbetts and St. John’s assistant Mike Dunlap.
Indiana assistant Brian Shaw also is expected to get an interview once the Pacers’ season ends.
Re: Jerry Sloan Interested In Bobcats Coaching Job
I saw a headline on today's (Monday) foxsports/msn website that the Laker's coach is interested in coaching the Cats. I'm ashamed to say that I don't even know who is coaching the Lakers.............yes I've missed this entire season.
Re: Jerry Sloan Interested In Bobcats Coaching Job
Quote:
Originally Posted by onewickedlady
I saw a headline on today's (Monday) foxsports/msn website that the Laker's coach is interested in coaching the Cats. I'm ashamed to say that I don't even know who is coaching the Lakers.............yes I've missed this entire season.
The Lakers coach is Mike Brown but it is one of his assistants, Quinn Snyder, who wants the Bobcats job. He was interviewed yesterday. I don't know much about him except I hated him when he played at Dook. We called him Queen Snyder then.
Re: Jerry Sloan Interested In Bobcats Coaching Job
As much as I'd love to get Sloan, I feel like it would be The Larry Brown Experiment Part 2, mainly because of age, he wouldn't be here as long as Shaw or Snyder would be.
Re: Jerry Sloan Interested In Bobcats Coaching Job
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Originally Posted by Timmeh
Certainly Jordan wouldn't hire a Coach K product....would he?
Sure he would. If he thought Snyder was the best choice I imagine where he played college wouldn't have even a little bit of influence either way.
Remember the famous line "Republicans wear shoes too"?
Sloan would be nothing like LB other than focusing on teaching our kids but you are probably right on the 3-4 year thing. Of course a lot is going to ride on our next coach being able to develop our players (no small thing) so there's no guarantee any of these guys would last past that.
I am feeling better about Snyder the more I've read...so I probably won't have a conniption whoever we choose.
Jerry Sloan Interested In Bobcats Coaching Job
