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WASHINGTON -- Discussions between the Washington Wizards and St. John's coach Mike Jarvis took place Thursday and are likely to continue Friday. But sources say the two sides are far apart on a deal to make Jarvis the Wizards' new head coach, ESPN's David Aldridge reported.
Michael Jordan, the Wizards' president of basketball operations, formally recommended Jarvis for the job in a meeting with owner Abe Pollin on Thursday, according to Aldridge.
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If Jarvis goes,
St. John's has options
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If coach Mike Jarvis leaves the Red Storm, associate head coach Kevin Clark is expected to be one of the first coaches interviewed. But sources close to the Red Storm administration told ESPN.com that Hofstra's Jay Wright will be the favorite.
Former Georgia Tech coach Bobby Cremins and former Golden State Warriors and Seton Hall coach P.J. Carlesimo will also be mentioned as potential candidates. A source close to Ohio State coach Jim O'Brien said he won't pursue the job.
"Nobody out there knows the New York scene as well as Jay does," said a source close to St. John's administration.
A search to replace Jarvis likely would take just eight to 10 days. A source said the administration has had informal talks on prospective candidates.
The Red Storm would be replacing their second coach in three seasons after Fran Fraschilla was relieved of the post after flirting with an opening at Arizona State three years ago.
St. John's is coming off a tumultuous season in which the NCAA suspended sophomore point guard Erick Barkley twice. Barkley then left for the NBA, followed by the Red Storm's top recruit, Darius Miles.
-- ESPN.com's Andy Katz
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"Discussions are still ongoing," St. John's spokesman Dominic Scianna said after a
meeting with Jarvis. "There has not been a formal
offer made."
As talks continued, it became clear Jordan will not meet his
self-imposed Sunday deadline for naming a new coach. A team source,
speaking on condition of anonymity, said there were no plans to
announce a new coach until early next week.
Jordan talked to Jarvis by phone to discuss the job Wednesday. Jarvis was in the
Washington area, where he still has a home and where he is helping
his daughter prepare for her wedding.
Jarvis drove back to New York on Wednesday night and notified
St. John's President Rev. Donald Harrington and athletic director
Edward Manetta Jr. that he was formally talking to Jordan about the
Wizards job. Only then did Jarvis make his interest public.
Jarvis remained in New York on Thursday, while Jordan was in
Washington for Sunday's NBA draft lottery, the event for which he
had hoped to have a coach in place.
Jordan was not available for comment.
"I got a call from him (Jordan) and we spoke briefly about if I was interested in the job, and I said I was," Jarvis told The New York Post in Thursday's edition. "He called me back and left a message saying he would call me (Thursday). Nothing is done. I can assure you of that. I don't feel I'm any closer to Washington today than I was yesterday."
Jarvis, who coached George Washington University from 1990-98,
is one of five known candidates Jordan has been considering.
Interim coach Darrell Walker and Golden State assistant Rod
Higgins were ruled out Wednesday when Jordan gave them front-office
jobs. John Paxson, a former Bulls teammate of Jordan, pulled
himself out of the running recently when he told Jordan he wanted
to remain in the Chicago area.
Lenny Wilkens, the NBA's career leader in coaching victories,
also interviewed with Jordan, but he didn't help his cause last
week when he prematurely indicated that Jordan offered him the job.
|  | | Mike Jarvis waves as he leaves his office at St. John's University on Thursday. |
Jarvis, who still has a home in the Maryland suburbs, has spent
two seasons at St. John's, where he compiled a 53-17 record and
took the Red Storm to the NCAA Tournament each year. He has an
escape clause in his contract with St. John's.
"I am very sensitive to the people I work for," Jarvis told
the New York Post. "There's a certain protocol one follows in
these situations, and I intend to do that. The people at St. John's
have been nothing but great to Mike Jarvis."
Jarvis revitalized the George Washington program, and in his
first season led the school to its first winning record in eight
years. The Colonials became a regular participant in the NCAA
tournament in the 1990s.
His task with the Wizards would be more daunting. Washington
hasn't won a playoff game in 12 years and has had four coaches -- Bernie Bickerstaff, Jim Brovelli, Gar Heard and Walker -- in the
last 14 months. The roster includes overpaid veterans Juwan Howard,
Rod Strickland and Mitch Richmond, whose long-term contracts make
it nearly impossible for the team to make major personnel
acquisitions under the salary cap.
Jordan became the president of basketball operations and a part
owner of the Wizards on Jan. 19 and has been very aggressive in his
mission to turn the franchise around. He practiced with the team,
fired Heard within a few days and this week restructured the
front-office staff.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. | |
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