KFDM COOP Posted May 18, 2007 Report Posted May 18, 2007 Van Gundy given a third optionRockets offer non-coaching position, though he could return to bench The Rockets offered Jeff Van Gundy a job on Thursday. It was not necessarily to be their coach.While still holding out the possibility that he might return as coach, the Rockets made it a bit easier for Van Gundy to leave the bench, offering him a different position within the organization.Rockets general manager Daryl Morey would not specify what position he offered after many talks Thursday with Van Gundy. Van Gundy has not accepted or turned down that position."I've been actively on the phone with Jeff," Morey said. "Constantly. Things are in a tentative spot. We have no conclusions. Things can go in different ways. We're in discussions. There are no conclusions."Morey and Rockets owner Leslie Alexander have spoken extensively with former Kings, Warriors and Trail Blazers coach Rick Adelman about the head coaching position but said Van Gundy could be back in that capacity. Morey would not comment about Adelman or whether there are other potential candidates, but a person with knowledge of the Rockets' decision-making said Tuesday that no other interviews were scheduled or planned.Van Gundy said Wednesday that the decision was solely the Rockets', indicating that despite some ambivalence immediately after the team's first-round playoff loss to the Utah Jazz, he had decided he would like to return. Morey on Tuesday had described the decision as mutual.If the Rockets were not clear then about Van Gundy's preference, Morey said they are now."We have a clear understanding of what we — Jeff and I — want," Morey said. "Some of my active calls have been to clarify things."Though Morey had indicated conditions under which Van Gundy would want to return and the Rockets would want him back, he said Thursday that "recent discussions have changed the understanding."Morey would not comment beyond that about the content of the discussions.After discussing his status with the Rockets as part of Wednesday's announcement that he would work as a playoff analyst for ESPN and ABC, Van Gundy had deferred comment to Morey or Rockets owner Leslie Alexander.Van Gundy is 430-318 (.575) in 11 seasons as an NBA coach, the best career winning percentage of any of the Rockets' 10 coaches. His 182-146 (.555) record as Rockets coach is second only to the 503-397 (.559) mark of Rudy Tomjanovich."Nothing is settled," Morey said. "We're hoping to move this along toward a settlement with all parties. The sooner we come to a resolution, the better for the Rockets, obviously, but we're not going to rush."We have a high regard for Jeff, and I think he has a high regard for us. We're both trying to respect the process."
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