As I noted this morning when I rounded up a few coaching rumors, the Magic and Bobcats are currently the only two NBA teams searching for a new head coach. While more desirable positions may open up in the next few weeks, former Jazz coach Jerry Sloan expressed his interest in the two current openings to Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida.
Sloan told Tomasson that the job in Orlando would be "very intriguing" and that the Bobcats' opening interests him as well, since "it's not always about starting at the top." However, he acknowledged that neither team has contacted him. For the Magic, who only let go of Stan Van Gundy about 24 hours ago, that's hardly a surprise, but the Bobcats have been conducting interviews for weeks — I wonder if they've decided to go in a different direction or simply weren't aware of Sloan's interest.
When Sloan left the Jazz last season, he wasn't sure whether or not he wanted to coach again, but his desire to return to an NBA bench has resurfaced over time.
"I felt like I needed to get away from basketball," Sloan said. "I worked (26) years (as a head coach). It was time for me to move on and see what was going in the world. That’s been kind of interesting. But I still have that void of basketball."
Whether it's the Magic, the Bobcats, or another team that inquires on Sloan at some point this summer, he intends to keep an open mind.
"I don’t have an agent," Sloan said. "I don’t need for anybody to talk for me. If somebody calls me, I will listen."