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I'm glad he stayed.
At peace with past, Carlesimo enjoys present position with Spurs
Sunday, October 23, 2005
BY DAVID WALDSTEIN
Star-Ledger Staff
http://www.nj.com/printer/printer.ss...980.xml&coll=1
For the first time since Latrell Sprewell was reinstated following the assault on his old coach, P.J. Carlesimo is the one who is gainfully employed in the NBA -- his stock on the rise, in fact -- while Sprewell is on the outside, looking in.
While Sprewell, who left the Timberwolves through free agency, is still waiting to hook up with a team, Carlesimo is about to begin his fourth season as Gregg Popovich's top assistant in San Antonio. When the season begins next month, he will receive his second championship ring.
But Carlesimo, the former Seton Hall coach and longtime New Jersey resident, isn't looking for Sprewell to be ostracized from the league the way he was for three years. Speaking from San Antonio, where his Spurs lost to the Knicks, 96-90, last night, Carlesimo said the world should catch up to the fact that he and Sprewell have left that ugly episode behind.
"He's too good a player not to turn up again with somebody," he said. "Our relationship now is fine. It's been cordial the last couple of times we've seen each other. He's done a real good job of moving on, and things have worked out for me. It's over."
When Carlesimo says things have worked out well for him, he's not simply trying to paint a rosy picture. He loves working for Popovich and being a top assistant for the NBA's best team. And now, for the first time since being fired by the Warriors in 1999, he is getting consideration for head coaching jobs.
Last spring Isiah Thomas flew to San Antonio to interview Carlesimo for the Knicks job, and in Minnesota he was runner-up to Dwane Casey. His star is starting to shine brightly again, and with the Spurs' continued success, a return to the NBA head coaching ranks seems inevitable.
"Being considered for a job and getting one are two different things," he said. "But having been in San Antonio the last three years and us having won a couple of championships, and working for Pop, that helps a lot. And being in the mix for a couple of very high-profile jobs last year, yeah, that's going to help, too."
The interview with Thomas came as the Knicks president returned from Los Angeles after his token interview with Phil Jackson in April, a clear sign of respect for Carlesimo. And although he didn't get the job, Carlesimo knows the best man did.
Carlesimo has known Knicks coach Larry Brown for decades, since before they were both in New Jersey together. Brown's second year with the Nets in 1982-83 was Carlesimo's first with the Pirates, and the two did clinics together. Moreover, Brown and Popovich are extremely close, so Carlesimo has become part of the extended Brown family of coaches.
But what made Carlesimo feel particularly good about the process with the Knicks was that Thomas made it clear that the beef with Sprewell would not be a factor.
"Whatever part that plays in other people's decision process, I don't know," Carlesimo said. "But I have no doubt it had nothing to do with New York. Larry Brown isn't a good choice, he's a great choice. Isiah was very up front the whole time. My relationship with Latrell had nothing to do with it, and Isiah made that clear from the beginning."
In Minnesota, it wasn't as clear. There were reports that Sprewell had submarined Carlesimo's candidacy by warning Kevin Garnett against him. But Wolves GM Kevin McHale called Carlesimo on the night of Game 5 of the NBA Finals in Detroit and dismissed that theory.
"Kevin McHale told me that's not what happened," Carlesimo recalled. "He told me all along I was one of two people, and I have no problem accepting his word on that."
So four months later, a happy Carlesimo is looking for his third ring more than his third NBA job.
"All things being equal, I'd love to be a head coach again," he said. "But it has to be a good situation. If I'm considered for another job, that would be great. But right now, I truly believe I have one of the best jobs in the NBA."
I'm glad he stayed.
Me too!
He is a great asset to the Spurs.
Glad he stayed too. But knowing Sprewell, I think McHale is lying - big time. I love the fact that Carlesimo is employed and Sprewell is trying to figure out how he's going to "feed his family" this year.
Spurs are lucky to have PJ. I hope the rest of the league remains stupid as long as Pop feels like coaching, and that PJ can step in at that point.
The disadvantage for PJ is his lower salary as asst coach vs salary as head coach somewhere else. He's approaching 60, and it would be great for him to have a head coach's salary at decent franchise for at least a few years before retiring.
I love PJ and don't want him to leave for any reason, but he does seem to want a head coaching job, so if he does get one I'd wish him the best
He could get picked up in the middle of the season. When the normal round of head coach firings take place...
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