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Several coaches on the hot seat

By Chad Ford

NBA Insider

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Two more teams were pushed to the brink of elimination Monday. The Hornets and Jazz barely have a pulse left after Monday night's drubbings.

The Hornets have zero shot at winning with Jamal Mashburn out again. And the Jazz never had a real shot in the first place of dethroning the Kings.

But that won't stop of us from circling the scene of the accident for a moment. . .

Teams always contemplate changes after an early playoff exit, but in this case, two coaches, Paul Silas and Jerry Sloan, both may do part of the work for them. League sources have been saying for months that short of a berth in the Finals, this was Silas' last year with the Hornets.

Silas will quickly leap to the head of the pack, right behind Jeff Van Gundy, on everyone's coaching list. He's well respected by players and other coaches alike. That leads to the inevitable question: Why are the Hornets dumping him? Silas has been openly critical of Hornets ownership and they've been contemplating a change all year. But will they find a better coach for the Hornets? That's very questionable.

Sloan, on the other hand, has all of the job security a coach can ask for. However, with John Stockton contemplating retirement, Karl Malone's eyes wandering again and the future of the Jazz never in more doubt, Sloan has dropped serious hints that he may retire while he's still, relatively, on top.

If he does retire, expect him to stay that way. He's tired of the attitudes of the younger players in the league and is incredulous with the diminished work ethics among the new generation of players. Without grizzled veterans like Stockton or Malone in the locker room, Sloan would have to do more than his fair share of baby sitting. Can't imagine Sloan holding someone like Kwame Brown's hand? Now you know why he's thinking of throwing in the towel.

Of course, if Sloan and Stockton are gone, Malone might be out of there as well. Jazz GM Kevin O'Connor will try to bring in another workhorse like Sloan. Unbeknownst to them, they may have missed their best shot at Sloan's obvious successor last season with Jeff Bzdelik.

Add those two potential coaching openings to a slew of others and you could be looking at the biggest coaching migration since, well, the end of the NCAA season perhaps.

The coaching carousel doesn't spin as fast as it does in college, but the NBA is looking at an unprecedented number of openings this summer. I'm counting as many as 10 potential openings. That's one third of the entire league. Somewhere, Roy Williams is smiling.

The Raptors fired Lenny Wilkens after the season, creating the first official opening. GM Glen Grunwald doesn't have a wide margin of error here. If he doesn't get the right coach to light a fire under the Raptors this year, he may be the next guy kicked to the curb in Toronto. Despite all the rhetoric about making a surprise selection, the Raptors want a respected, veteran coach to run the team. Yes Wilkens, the Methuselah of NBA coaches, was a veteran and had respect, but his laid-back style didn't play well in Toronto. Jeff Van Gundy is at the top of the list. If he doesn't want to the job, Nets assistant Eddie Jordan could be the guy.

The Cavs, Hawks and Clippers fired their coaches mid-season and replaced them with temps. All three teams claim that while the interim head coaches, Keith Smart, Terry Stotts and Dennis Johnson, are in the running for the permanent gig, they will pursue other candidates as well. The question is who really wants these job? Mike Dunleavy's name has popped up in both Cleveland and Atlanta, but neither seems like a good fit. The Cavs need a motivator (like Eric Musselman) and the Hawks need someone who relates well with players (they'd love Doc Rivers). It's pretty unclear where they'd find either. What do the Clippers need? A therapist.

Isiah Thomas is under major fire in Indiana right now. Team president Donnie Walsh gave Thomas an infamous show of support on Monday claiming that he's, "not going to fire him if we lose the playoff series."

Of course, Walsh made no mention about firing him for numerous other things, including losing control of the team, making egregious coaching errors in the fourth quarter, or the general malaise that seems to have enveloped the franchise.

While a team source in Indiana claims that Walsh is sincere, they have no plans to fire Thomas, that doesn't mean he'll be coaching the Pacers next season. Tensions are running so high in Indiana I'm told that Thomas may resign. I don't think anyone in Indiana would try to stop him.

Blazers coach Maurice Cheeks is another likely victim if his team falls, as expected, to the Mavs. While Cheeks has garnered enormous respect around the league for juggling the ego and personality disorders of the Blazers the last two years, rumors continue to circulate that there's a serious rift between Cheeks and GM Bob Whitsitt right now.

As Insider reported on Monday, with Whitsitt already feeling the heat (word is he's already shown assistant GM Mark Warkentien the door) the pressure's on for him to make big changes this summer. Van Gundy would be target No. 1 for the Blazers. They're also fond of Silas.

And amazingly folks, that's not all. Rumors have been swirling in Dallas, Houston, Milwaukee and Washington about potential coaching moves.

Mavs coach Don Nelson is in the last year of his contract and the word around the league is that, short of an NBA title, owner Mark Cuban may relieve Nelson of his coaching duties (he still has a long-term contract with the front office) and bring in a more defensive-minded coach. Again, Van Gundy is at the top of the list.

In Houston, there's been talk that it may be time for Rudy Tomjanovich to go. Owner Les Alexander hinted that the coach, along with everyone else, will be under review this summer. He's been deeply disappointed with the play of the Rockets the last few years and before long, no matter how much people love the guy, the coach always seems to take the hit.

In Milwaukee, coach George Karl's Bucks are putting up a fight against the Nets. But barring a surprising Bucks run, Karl might be done. Like Sloan, he's gotten tired of all of the nonsense he has to put up with and seems drained.

Ditto for Doug Collins, who's just finished a nightmare two-year stint in Washington. He'll probably stay (as a favor to MJ) if Michael Jordan resolves his differences with owner Abe Pollin. If Jordan doesn't? It's hard to imagine Collins sticking around. If he thinks last season was tough, wait until he has to listen to a month of bickering between Jerry Stackhouse and Christian Laettner without Jordan mediating.

And from the totally bizarre files comes a column in the Detroit Free Press calling for Rick Carlisle's head. Yes, that Rick Carlisle, the guy who won the Coach of the Year last year as a rookie head coach. Yes, the same guy who led the Pistons to a shocking No. 1 seed in the East. Yes, the same guy who's watched his team crumble under the stress of Tracy McGrady and the Magic.

According to columnist Drew Sharp, a Pistons loss to tonight should put Carlisle in the hot seat.

"Rick Carlisle's future in this organization will be on the line," Sharp wrote. "What good are two straight 50-victory seasons and back-to-back Central Division championships if the team is ill-prepared for the changing currents of playoff basketball? What good is intensity if that's the only bullet you have in the chamber, drastically reducing any margin for error?

"Carlisle apparently doesn't understand that there's a difference between coaching in the regular season and the playoffs. Coaching is a constant evolution. Change is mandatory. If Carlisle doesn't grasp that concept soon, he and his boss could find themselves at polar opposites."

Let's not let things get out of hand here. Just because everyone else is contemplating firing their head coach doesn't mean Joe Dumars is. The Pistons love Carlisle. They know he's helped two teams overachieve. They know they need more talent -- a go-to guy. And they know that Carlisle is the guy to get them there.

Critical Condition

Jimmy Smith / New Orleans Times-Picayune

Near Future Looks Dim for Jazz

Gordon Monson / Salt Lake Tribune

Statement doesn't resolve this issue

Bob Kravitz / Indianapolis Star

Cheeks Lends Harmony To 1st Round of Playoffs

Michael Wilbon / Washington Post

Carlisle's job is on the line if team dies without fight

Drew Sharp / Detroit Free Press

2003 NBA Draft: Top 15 shooting guards

By Chad Ford

NBA Insider

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Quick. Name the last great shooting guard to come out of the NBA Draft.

Don't pause to flip through your draft guide.

Just give me his name.

Is it Jason Richardson (2001)? Desmond Mason (2000)? Richard Hamilton (1999)? Ron Artest (1999)?

Good? Sure. Great? C'mon.

Rewind back to 1998 and we can start talking. Vince Carter went fifth that year though his greatness may forever be limited to Nike and Gatorade commercials. Paul Pierce is the truth, but nine teams didn't believe that on draft night.

Rewind back one more year and you'll find Tracy McGrady on the board at No. 9. Two more years to 1996 and I can give you Allen Iverson (1st overall), Ray Allen (5th ) and Kobe Bryant (13th).

Go back any further and Alzheimer's sets in.

Since 1980, only one two guard, Iverson (and most teams felt he was a point) has been drafted overall. You have to go back to 1979, when Magic Johnson went No. 1 overall, to find a guard with as much hype going No. 1.

I give this illustration only to point out an obvious disconnect from the lores of scouting wisdom and reality. To quote more than one NBA scout, good shooting guards are a dime a dozen.

Unlike the rare centers and point guards who only appear in leap years when there's a full moon, shooting guards are everywhere. They grow on trees. Take a shot on the big kid who can't tie his shoes. Grab your two guard of the future off any NBDL roster.

Unfortunately, it hasn't happened that way. It's part of the reason that LeBron James is such a big deal. OK, maybe he's not really a shooting guard. Maybe he's a point guard. Or a point forward. Maybe he can spend 10 minutes at power forward. In a year he could be playing center.

The point is that he can play in the backcourt. He can shoot, handle, drive to the basket, post up smaller defenders and run like the wind. Amen.

He's not alone. A kid from France may be the best athlete in the draft, period. Another undersized kid from Marquette is trying to be the next Gilbert Arenas. And then there's the kid from BYU who looks like Eminem with a jump shot.

Break out your Nikes and Gatorade. It's showtime.

Here's a look at the Top 15 shooting guards expected to declare for the 2003 NBA Draft. Wednesday we'll tackle the Top 15 small forwards.

Note: The list includes all players seriously considering entering the 2003 draft. An asterisk (*) by a player's name indicates he is an underclassman who has officially declared.

1. LeBron James, Akron, Ohio*

The line: 6-8, 240, High School Senior

The skinny: For all 12 of you left on the planet who don't already own a LeBron jersey, here it goes. . . Put him anywhere on the floor, give him the ball and get out of the way. When you can say that about any prospect, let alone an 18-year-old fresh off his high school prom, he goes No. 1. End of story.

2. Mickael Pietrus, Pau Ortiz (France)*

The line: 6-6, 215, 21 years old

The skinny: Perhaps the most athletic player in Europe at the moment. Pietrus has a very American game. He loves to take it to the basket and use his athleticism and leaping ability to fly past his opponents. He's also a pretty good defender. He's aggressive on both ends of the court. He's very strong for his size. He also has a nice shooting touch. I saw him hit 10 straight NBA threes in warm-ups in December. Think a mixture of Desmond Mason and Ray Allen. Right now, teams have him going in the late lottery. He could move much higher once he gets into individual workouts.

3. Dwyane Wade, Marquette

The line: 6-4, 210, Junior

The skinny: Wade's game evokes comparisons to Desmond Mason, Fred Jones and even Jerry Stackhouse from scouts. It's not hard to see why when you look at his combination of a strong frame, leaping ability and defensive presence. He's one of the most complete athletes in college hoops. So what's the issue? He's picked up the dreaded "combo guard" label. He's too small to be a two guard in the NBA, but lacks the instincts to be top-notch point guard. While scouts are usually terrified of undersized two guards, Wade may be the exception. He has long arms and a pretty good handle. He never plays out of control, leading some to wonder if he could be turned into a point guard. After seeing how Gilbert Arenas proved everyone wrong, teams are more willing to take a chance on a talent like Wade. Expect him to be in the lottery when the smoke clears on draft night.

4. Jarvis Hayes, Georgia*

The line: 6-7, 220, Junior

The skinny: Teams like his body, strength and athleticism for the position and think his shooting has really improved. However, in a draft where being labeled "multi-dimensional" will make you multi-millions, Hayes has the rep of being a one-note player. It's not entirely fair. Hayes is an decent rebounder and defender. But his inability to put the ball on the floor or create his own shot will be a problem. He averaged just 3.3 free throw attempts per game. Think Allan Houston without a first step. Should go somewhere between the late lottery and mid first round.

5. Rickey Paulding, Missouri

The line: 6-5, 212, Junior

The skinny: Like Pietrus, Paulding is an super athlete along the lines of Jason Richardson. He jumps out of the gym and loves to slash to the basket. His last game of the season, a 36-point outburst against Dwyane Wade and Marquette, really helped his draft stock. He shot 9-for-16 from behind the arc that game, quieting critics who wonder whether he's a consistent enough threat from behind the arc. Paulding has publicly said that he's returning for his senior season at Missouri. However, several league sources claim that he's been exploring his options for the draft. Don't be surprised if he declares, but doesn't hire an agent, preserving his college eligibility. Like Kareem Rush, he's probably a mid-first-rounder at this point.

6. Aleksandar Pavlovic, Buducnost (Yugoslavia)*

The line: 6-7, 210, 20 years old

The skinny: May be the hottest riser in the draft. Several teams made the trip to Yugoslavia to see his teammate, Slavko Vranes. Vranes, however, hasn't been playing of late. What they did see was Pavlovic, a 6-foot-7 athletic swingman who some scouts are comparing to Peja Stojakovic. While scouts say that he struggles as a defender and doesn't have a great long-range game, the latest buzz has him hanging around the mid first round.

7. Travis Hansen

The line: 6-6, 210, Senior

The skinny: No one helped himself more at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament than Hansen. Hansen turned out to be a much better athlete than original scouting reports indicated. He also turned out to be a much better perimeter shooter, averaging 15.7 ppg on 57 percent shooting. He shot 63 percent from behind the arc during the tournament. Teams were also impressed with his toughness. Hansen can bench press more than 300 pounds and repeatedly ended up guarding and stopping bigger opponents. Several scouts claimed he reminded them of a more-athletic Jeff Hornacek. Another went even further, comparing him to Danny Ainge. Hooking up with agent Bill Duffy won't hurt his stock either. Right now he's probably still a second-round pick. But a strong showing in Chicago or a series of good workouts could propel him into the late first round.

8. Dahntay Jones, Duke

The line: 6-6, 210, Senior

The skinny: Another super athlete who helped himself with a strong tournament performance. Jones averaged nearly 25 ppg in the tournament this year and proved to scouts that he's outside shooting is coming around. He's got the size, athleticism and strength teams want in a two guard. He's a good defender and proved that, with good coaching, he can improve his game. If he plays well in Chicago he also has a chance of moving out of the second round into the late first.

9. Romain Sato, Xavier

The line: 6-5, 195, Junior

The skinny: Sato's father insists he's returning for his senior season. However, other sources continue to claim that he's mulling putting his name into the draft and playing in Chicago. Sato, an athletic 6-foot-5 swingman, is a gifted slasher who knows how to get to the basket and finish. He owns a solid outside shot and is great off the dribble. Still, there are enough questions about how good he could actually become that it seems unlikely that he could leap ahead of anyone else on the list. He's better off returning to school.

10. Ronald Dupree, LSU

The line: 6-5, 200, Senior

The skinny: Dupree's is another guy who really helped himself in Portsmouth. Dupree, who averaged 15.3 ppg at the PIT, gave scouts plenty of highlight-reel dunks but couldn't bury an outside jumper to save his life. He shot several airballs on 15-foot jumpers during the tournament, but scouts love his explosiveness around the basket. If he starts nailing jumpers in workouts, watch out.

11. Beno Udrih, Israel

The line: 6-5, 195, 21 years old

The skinny: Beno is a guy who could be on the rise, a la Jiri Welsch, last year. He's a combo guard who seems comfortable playing the point and the two. He's a good athlete with quickness, good court vision and can score. He's not an exceptional shooter, but always seems to find a way to score. He needs to work on his ball handling if he hopes to make the jump to full-time point guard in the pros.

12. Bernard King, Texas A&M

The line: 6-5, 200, Senior

The skinny: King is another guy who will improve his stock dramatically if teams believe he's capable of playing the point even part time. He's a good passer and an above-average ball handler. His 5.6 apg last season has caught the eye of scouts. He's fundamentally very solid. The issues are with his athleticism and ability to play in control. Shot selection has been an issue with King in the past, though last season he seemed to get things under control. Like just about everyone else, a lot will depend on what he does in Chicago. If he shines there, teams will give him serious consideration. Right now, however, he's a second-rounder.

13. Carl English, SG, Hawaii*

The line: 6-5, 205, Junior

The skinny: A big-time scorer and shooter. English has strong ball-handling skills and is a decent passer. He'll be trying to prove to scouts that he can make the transition from shooting guard to point guard in the pros. Needs to have a big week in Chicago.

14. Ruben Douglas, New Mexico

The line: 6-5, 200, Senior

The skinny: Douglas, who led the nation in scoring, averaging 27.9 points a game last season, raised some eyebrows in April when he decided to skip the PIT. While everyone agrees that he's a gifted scorer, most scouts feel he's closer to 6-foot-4 and isn't tall enough to play shooting guard in the pros. He also lacks the athleticism teams look for in a two guard.

15. Willie Green, Detroit

The line: 6-7, 210, 19 years old

The skinny: Another undersized Portsmouth sleeper whose athleticism and ability to get to the basket caught scouts' eyes. He's a long shot to get drafted, but he impressed enough people to warrant an invite to Chicago. If he gets it, and plays well, you never know.

Others to watch: Marquis Daniels, Auburn; Keith Bogans, Kentucky; Alexander Vujacic, Slovenia; Quintin Ross, SMU; Ronald Blackshear, Marshall. Marshall

Cavs one step closer to rock bottom

By Chad Ford

NBA Insider

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The Cavs took one step closer to rock bottom on Monday when the league announced that the Nuggets had won the tiebreaker between the two teams.

While the outcome of the ping pong drawing does nothing to the Cavs chances of winning the No. 1 overall pick in the draft (both Cleveland and Denver have a 22.5 percent chance) it does mean that the worst case scenario for the Cavs is falling all the way to the fifth pick in the draft.

How does that happen? If three teams other than the Nuggets and Cavs win the first three picks in the draft lottery, the Nuggets would pick fourth and the Cavs would pick fifth, by virtue of Monday's tiebreaker.

Nuggets GM Kiki Vandeweghe was philosophical about the whole thing. "It's always better to win those type of things,'' Vandeweghe told the Rocky Mountain News. "I want to thank all the people who have sent in lucky charms. The positive thoughts helped. But it's something you don't want to fall back on.''

Of course, both teams are praying they aren't faced with such a scenario. Both Vandeweghe and Cleveland GM Jim Paxson will be headed to Greece this weekend to check out Darko Milicic, whose team is playing in the FIBA Final Four.

In other tiebreaker news, the Knicks beat out the Wizards, meaning New York will have a 1.5 percent chance at the top pick and Washington will have a 1.4 percent chance. Should both teams fall out of the top three, New York would pick ninth and Washington 10th.

Among teams that made the playoffs and won't be involved in the lottery, the Bucks won a tiebreaker over the Magic and will choose 14th. The Magic have the 15th selection. However, Milwaukee is due Atlanta's pick from the Glenn Robinson trade, as long as the pick isn't one of the top three. If the Bucks get the Hawks' pick, they will send their own No. 14 pick to Seattle to complete the Gary Payton trade.

Boston won its tiebreaker with Phoenix and will select 16th in the opening round, and the Suns will choose 17th.

New Orleans beat Utah in the tiebreaker and will pick 18th overall, followed by the Jazz.

Philadelphia beat Indiana in the tiebreaker and gets the 20th spot, which it already has traded to Boston. The Pacers' pick, 21st overall, is owned by Atlanta.

Portland won the tiebreaker with the Los Angeles Lakers and Detroit and will go 23rd. The Lakers then beat the Pistons in another tiebreaker and will go 24th, followed by Detroit. San Antonio will go 28th in the first round after beating Dallas in the tiebreaker, and the Mavericks will pick 29th.

Here's a look at the first round order, pending the May 22 lottery:

1. Denver Nuggets (22.5% chance)

2. Cleveland Cavaliers (22.5% chance)

3. Toronto Raptors (15.7% chance)

4. Miami Heat (12% chance)

5. Los Angeles Clippers (8.9% chance)

6. Detroit Pistons (via Grizzlies) (6.4% chance)*

7. Chicago Bulls (4.4% chance)

8. Milwaukee Bucks (via Hawks) (2.9% chance)**

9. New York Knicks (1.5% chance)

10. Washington Wizards (1.4% chance)

11. Golden State Warriors (.7% chance)

12. Seattle Supersonics (.6% chance)

13. Memphis Grizzlies (via Rockets) (.5% chance)

14. Seattle Supersonics (via Bucks)***

15. Orlando Magic

16. Boston Celtics

17. Phoenix Suns

18. New Orleans Hornets

19. Utah Jazz

20. Boston Celtics (via Sixers)

21. Atlanta Hawks (via Pacers)

22. New Jersey Nets

23. Portland Trailblazers

24. Los Angeles Lakers

25. Detroit Pistons

26. Minnesota Timberwolves

27. Orlando Magic (via Kings)

28. San Antonio Spurs

29. Dallas Mavericks

* -- Grizzlies must send their pick to the Pistons unless it is the No. 1 pick in the draft

** -- Hawks must send their pick to Bucks unless it is the No. 1, 2, or 3 pick in draft

*** -- Bucks will send their first-round pick (No. 15) to the Sonics as long as the Hawks' pick falls somewhere between No. 4 and No. 13. If the Hawks' pick is in the top three, the Bucks will send the Sonics two second-round picks.

Nuggets will get at least 4th pick

Chris Tomasson / Rocky Mountain News

Cavaliers lose at tiebreaker, too

Branson Wright / Cleveland Plain Dealer

Peep Show

Payton

Milwaukee Bucks: Win, lose or draw in this first round series against the Nets, free agent to be Gary Payton isn't sure where he'll end up next season. "You can't evaluate yourself on one series. You can't do that," he told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "Me and Jason (Kidd) have to look at a lot of other things. What's good for our families. What's good for ourselves. What's good for a team that we think we can go to, or if we are going to stay on the same team." Head coach George Karl isn't sure, either. "I think any player wants to win," Karl said. "I don't think there's a negativity to losing. I think there's an asset to winning, though. When you get more sellouts, more energy in the city, there's an energy that players feel and want to be part of. My feeling is Gary is going to make a business decision and a basketball decision. In general, I would say the business decision is going to be a little stronger than the basketball decision."

Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe Bryant may finally be getting his wish to guard the red-hot Troy Hudson in tonight's game. To which Hudson replied that there was no big difference between Derek Fisher or Brian Shaw or Kobe. "Not that big a difference?," Kobe asked overtly perturbed in the LA Times. "You gotta be kidding me ... We'll see."

Phoenix Suns: The Spurs know that Stephon Marbury's shoulder is hurt which puts them right where the muscled point guard wants them. "I hope they do, because I'll be making a target of them if they take a target on me," he said in the Arizona Republic. "I play basketball. Whatever's going to happen is going to happen . . . Can they take a cheap shot? Yeah, they can do that very easily. But I don't think those guys are dirty. I think if they set a good pick and I go down, they're happy. It's basketball. Those guys are big, strong guys. I'm a strong guy, but guys 250, 260 pounds setting picks on me, that's tough."

Mutombo

New Jersey Nets: Dikembe Mutombo is still waiting. "This has been a tough, tough situation," he said in the NY Post. "The surgeries, the injuries. Before I go to sleep every night, I pray that tomorrow will be better." But what, coach Byron Scott asks, is he supposed to do if the Bucks refuse to play a center and use small forward Toni Kukoc, instead. "It hurts Deke that they don't have

Ervin Johnson on the floor for 20 minutes," Scott said. "When they play those [smaller] guys, it's tough. They make us do some different things because of their size."

Orlando Magic: You only think Grant Hill isn't playing a part in Orlando's playoff run against his former team, the Detroit Pistons. "A big part of this is for him," Tracy McGrady said to the Dayton Beach News Journal. "We know how bad he'd like to be here with us. We know he wants us to go out there and close out this series. He definitely wants us to end it on their home court." By his own decision, Hill has stayed away from the playoff venues but has been calling team members routinely. "We just want to close out the games, we don't want to give them any type of hope," said McGrady. "We've got their backs against the wall now, we just need to go ahead and close it out."

Playoff results won't sway Payton, Kidd

Charles Gardner / Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Bryant, Shaw Both Want to Guard Hudson

Tim Brown / Los Angeles Times

Gritty Suns guard vows to play through pain

Bob Young / Arizona Republic

Frustrated Mutombo Waiting For Byron's Call

Dave Curtis / New York Post

Hill, Magic sure Pistons are done

Lydia Hinshaw / Daytona Beach News-Journal