LOS ANGELES, 22 June 2004 — Former Houston Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich is willing to meet with Los Angeles Lakers management to discuss the coaching job left vacant by the sudden departure of Phil Jackson.
“I have been contacted and am interested in discussing things with the Lakers and hearing what they have to say,” Tomjanovich said.
Two-time NBA champion Tomjanovich is one of several candidates who could take over the helm of the Lakers, whose season ended with a whimper last Tuesday when they were beaten 100-87 in the series-clinching game five of the NBA finals.
The loss started a chain reaction of bad news for Los Angeles beginning with the club’s decision not to keep Phil Jackson as head coach.
Giant center Shaquille O’Neal then asked for a trade and superstar Kobe Bryant exercised a contract clause that allowed him to become an unrestricted free agent.
Other potential coaching candidates include, Kurt Rambis, Henry Bibby, Pat Riley, Larry Brown and George Karl.
Lakers would like to have a coach hired prior to the NBA Draft on Thursday.
The 55-year-old Tomjanovich is expected to meet with Laker GM Mitch Kupchak this week and, if possible, before tomorrow which is the day Los Angeles owner Jerry Buss has a flight booked for Italy, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Tomjanovich stepped down in May 2003 as Houston’s coach because of the stress of coaching after being diagnosed with bladder cancer.
He is healthy and now ready to return to the coaching full-time.
Jackson was offered another position with the organization he guided to three straight NBA titles from 2000-02. He said he would think about it.
O’Neal has two years and more than $58 million left on his contract but he is unhappy with the current direction of the team and says he wouldn’t mind being traded.
Kupchak said Thursday he will try to satisfy O’Neal’s trade request but ruled out a sign-and-trade deal involving Bryant before the 25-year-old opted to become a free agent.
Jackson, 58, has won nine championships as a coach, tying him with Red Auerbach for the NBA record. His .725 winning percentage (832-316) is tops in league history.
But Jackson’s final game with the Lakers was last Tuesday’s loss to the Pistons, who beat a team with a roster boasting four future Hall of Famers.
