Report: Wizards trying to interest Brown

WASHINGTON, May 30 (UPI) -- It looks like the Washington Wizards have become a player in the Larry Brown sweepstakes.

The Washington Post reported Friday that Wizards' officials have approached Brown about being their new coach and also President of Basketball Operations. The paper said Brown has decided not to talk to Washington as long as Doug Collins, a close personal friend, remains in place as its coach.

The paper also noted Brown's comments about the way Jordan was dismissed.

"If you're going to fire a guy, you don't need to let everyone know he's coming in to be fired," Brown said at the time. "Here's a guy who took a million dollars a year, filled the building, helped our league, and I think he helped their team. Their team was terrible (before he came). They had a huge payroll and no chance of getting into the playoffs. Now they're fighting for the playoffs every year."

"Washington Sports and Entertainment and (Chairman) Abe Pollin are not discussing the interviewing process or the candidates we are speaking to," Washington President Susan O'Malley told the paper.

The Post said sources have indicated Brown refused to discuss the coach's job as long as Collins remained under contract.

Collins has not spoken publicly since the ouster of Michael Jordan on May 7. Jordan retired as a player when the Wizards' season ended without a playoff bid on April 16, but he thought there was an agreement in place for him to return to the job of President of Basketball Operations.

In a meeting on May 7, he found out that was not the case, and Collins, rumored likely to be fired as well, has been left twisting in the wind about his future ever since.

The story originated in Dallas, the site of the Western Conference Finals, which ended Thursday night with San Antonio beating Dallas in six games.

Brown stepped down as coach of the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday, and has been mentioned as a possibility for every team that either has or may have, at some point, a coaching vacancy.

At the moment, the team he just left, Philadelphia, has an opening, as do Cleveland, Houston, New Orleans, Washington, and Toronto. Also, the Los Angeles Clippers' job is a bit murky as Dennis Johnson is in interim status.