Ed Stefanski does not have a short timeline, nor will the 76ers' general manager feel pressure to offer the team's coaching job to Eddie Jordan, according to a source close to the search.
Jordan, 54, is scheduled to meet with Stefanski today to discuss the coaching candidate's on-court vision for the Sixers ; it will be the first official interview Stefanski has conducted since Tony DiLeo withdrew his name from consideration to continue in the job. Jordan and Stefanski worked together with the New Jersey Nets, Jordan as an assistant coach and Stefanski as an assistant GM.
During that time, New Jersey made two trips to the NBA Finals.
Before his gig as an assistant with the Nets, Jordan was the head coach in Sacramento during the 1996-97 and 1997-98 seasons. From 2003-08, Jordan coached the Washington Wizards: He was fired a little more than six months ago, after the team started the season 1-10.
Jordan's career coaching record is 230-288.
Today's interview will be Jordan's second this week. On Tuesday in Las Vegas, Jordan met with the Sacramento Kings about their coaching vacancy.
The Sixers and Kings are the only two NBA franchises currently without a head coach.
Two teams and only one candidate bring up the question: What might be the timeline for a decision?
Will Stefanski have to act quickly if he believes that Jordan is the right guy for the job? How far along are the Kings in their search?
The answer to both those questions seems to be the same: slow down.
The source said Stefanski would not be backed into a corner with Jordan, saying the general manager almost certainly would conduct a thorough coaching search before reaching his decision, regardless of whether the Kings move on Jordan.
A source close to the Kings' situation said the franchise seems to have slowed its search after back-to-back interviews this week, first with Jordan and then with former Phoenix Suns coach Paul Westphal.
On Monday, when he announced that DiLeo had withdrawn his name from consideration, Stefanski was asked whether he believed he had a blank check to offer his top candidate.
Stefanski responded that Comcast-Spectacor chairman Ed Snider always had given the team what it needed.
Yesterday, Snider confirmed that sentiment, saying that Stefanski has the financial thumbs-up.
Avery Johnson: No word. Yesterday, Avery Johnson's agent said his client had not heard from Stefanski, nor had they contacted the team. Johnson is an ESPN studio analyst and former coach of the Dallas Mavericks.
Contact staff writer Kate Fagan at 856-779-3844 or kfagan@phillynews.com.
