EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- New Jersey Nets coach Bill Fitch has apparently been relieved of his duties and replaced by former North Carolina State head coach Jim Valvano, according to a published report.
Wednesday's edition of the Bergen County Record in northern New Jersey has quoted a source within the Nets organization as saying Valvano met with team owner Joe Taub on Monday, at which time the two were able to strike a deal in principle for a multi-year contract of at least four years. No financial terms were released.
A team official said Wednesday morning the club had no comment on the report, and that no news conferences were scheduled. The Nets had a home game Wednesday night against Cleveland.
Valvano is a New York native and attended nearby Rutgers University. He reached the pinnacle of his coaching career in 1983 when North Carolina St. upset a favored Houston club for the national championship.
However, Valvano later came under scrutiny from the NCAA for various recruiting violations and other NCAA infractions that eventually led to his resignation at the end of the 1989-90 season. Since then, Valvano has served as a color commentator and studio analyst for college basketball on ESPN.
Valvano's lawyer, Arthur Kaminsky, issued a statement Wednesday confirming his client's ongoing talks with the Nets. He also said that Valvano is talking with ABC and ESPN about his future.
Valvano compiled a 209-114 overall record in 10 seasons with the Wolfpack. He directed his teams to two conference championships and eight trips to the NCAA tournament.
Fitch's tenure as Nets coach had been on shaky ground ever since team management cut forward Jud Buechler without Fitch's knowledge in order to make room under the salary cap for first-round draft pick Kenny Anderson. Several members of the team had to agree to salary concessions to make room for Anderson's contract.
Team management had also been angered by Anderson's lack of playing time since his signing and the team's deteriorating attitude towards its head coach. One such example was that of star forward Derrick Coleman, who showed his disdain for his coach by stepping to the foul line to shoot technicals when Fitch wanted someone else to shoot.
The last straw, however, for Taub was when the Nets allowed the equally hapless Charlotte Hornets to score 15 consective points in the fourth quarter of Saturday night's loss.
Despite it all, Fitch continued to say he was not worried about his status.
'It's nothing that I think about too much because I have no control over it. I just hope it doesn't affect the players too much,' said Fitch.
Fitch, 57, in the third year of a four-year deal, has compiled an 811-851 mark during his 21-year NBA career that has seen him make stops in Cleveland, Boston and Houston. He was coach of the year in 1976 and 1980, and guided the Celtics to the 1981 NBA Championship.
Prior to Wednesday's action, the Nets were tied with Orlando for fifth place with a 6-16 record in the Atlantic Division, only a half game out of the cellar. On Tuesday night they suffered a 102-94 loss to the New York Knicks.
Valvano apparently was not the first choice of Taub, one of seven Net partners. His first choice was Kentucky head coach Rick Pitino, who was offered the coaching and general manager positions beginning next season. However, Pitino was not ready to leave Kentucky.
