No, not Rick Majerus.
Last week, Rudy Tomjanovich stepped down as coach of the Lakers, apparently because the NBA grind was wearing on his health.
Only halfway through the first season of his five-year contract, Tomjanovich's decision to quit comes after well-documented battles with alcohol and bladder cancer.
Tomjanovich insists that neither problem has returned. Still, he officially left the Lakers to safeguard his health.
"I started feeling my resistance going down," Tomjanovich told his going-away press conference. "I went from this energetic, pumped-up guy to being sapped of my energy."
Like Majerus' departure from both the University of Utah and USC, however, the timing of Tomjanovich's decision automatically makes you wonder if there's more to the story than cholesterol levels and balanced diets.
Does a coach really turn his back on the NBA's flagship franchise after only 42 games? Does a coach tell Laker owner Jerry Buss he can't do it, less than six months after assuring him he can? Does anyone walk away from $30 million? Does anyone sign a $30 million contract and not expect stress management to be part of the paycheck?
No, Tomjanovich's decision smacks of something more than health, and those whispers have circulated around the NBA since the announcement.
l Perhaps Tomjanovich realized that the rebuilt Lakers are headed on a downward spiral that might take time to reverse and, after experiencing that in Houston for a few years ago, he didn't want to be a part of it.
l Perhaps existing expectations in L.A. are too high for a team which will play 24 of its last 38 games on the road and probably won't make the playoffs, so Tomjanovich knew he was involved in a no-win situation.
l Perhaps the loss of injured Vlade Divac - combined with free agent Karl Malone's decision to not return - left the young and fragile Lakers without the veteran leadership a coach needs to make his task a manageable one.
l Perhaps Tomjanovich had already started to hear criticism from management, players and the spoiled L.A. fans about his coaching philosophy, style and ability that germinated after the Lakers dropped five games by less than five points before Jan. 1.
l Perhaps Kobe Bryant really is running the Lakers, and Tomjanovich didn't understand the difficult dynamics of his new organization until he experienced it firsthand.
Regardless of his motivation, other NBA coaches seem to understand Tomjanovich's decision to step away.
But listen closely.
Are they talking about health issues, or are they talking about franchise issues?
"Man's greatest right is to change is mind," said Houston's Jeff Van Gundy. "He thought it would be a good situation for him and his family. I've always admired him. [But] the courage to step forward and do what he thinks is right is even more reason to admire him."
"This thing can wear you down," said Minnesota's Flip Saunders. "When you're a coach and that's all you've done, you're in it for the camaraderie, the teaching, all those things. That's what makes it all worthwhile. [But] when some of those things start to be compromised, you lose a little bit of your passion."
"Maybe," Tomjanovich said, "I'm an old general who needs to get his butt off the front line and do something else."
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Steve Luhm is the Tribune's national NBA writer. Send him questions at sluhm@sltrib.com.
Mavericks: 'Stacking' up
Jerry Stackhouse continues to look like part of Dallas' top 1-2 scoring punch, along with All-Star Dirk Nowitzki. In a four-game stretch, he averaged 19.4 points. "As long as they call my number once in awhile," Stackhouse said.
Sonics: Know the rules
In a Seattle-Golden State game, Ray Allen was dribbling in front of his bench when coach Nate McMillan asked an official for a timeout. Allen heard McMillan and casually launched a 40-footer, which the Warriors rebounded and turned into an uncontested layup. Crew chief Bob Delaney explained to the stunned Sonics that a player on the floor, not a coach, must ask for time.
Warriors: Practice, practice
Jason Richardson scored 37 points in a 111-107 overtime loss to Sacramento, but he missed two free throws that could have tied the game with 5.3 seconds left. "The game was in my hands," he said, "but I couldn't pull through." A few days later, Richardson stayed after practice and shot 500 free throws.
Heat: Shaq hits the fan
After Erick Dampier played well in Dallas' 109-104 win over Miami, Shaquille O'Neal was asked about the performance. "Dampier is soft," O'Neal said. "Quote it. Underline it. Tape it. Send it to him." Responded Dampier: "Hey, if 'soft' is a double-double every night, you can call it whatever you want."
Pistons: A new Artest
Team president Larry Bird expects a less-volatile Ron Artest next year: "He took it for granted and now he doesn't have it. It's not just the money part, but the actual basketball part. The competing. When people retire, the thing they miss is the locker room and the competition. That's what he's finding out."
Raptors: Waiting for Vince
Vince Carter returns to Toronto on April 15, when the Nets play the Raptors at the Air Canada Centre. What kind of reception awaits? Probably not a pleasant one. When a dunk by Carter was shown on the scoreboard as part of a plays-of-the-week package, the crowd angrily booed.
DANTLEY
TO PLAY
Adrian Dantley will participate in All-Star Saturday, teaming with the Pistons' Rip Hamilton and the Shock's Swin Cash to form Detroit's entry in the Shooting Stars Competition.
Dantley spent 2 1/2 years with the Pistons, but was traded midway through their championship run in 1988-89. A bitter Dantley publicly blamed Isiah Thomas for orchestrating the deal that cost him a ring.
That's why Dantley's reunion with the Pistons surprised a lot of people.
Asked about his unhappy departure from the Pistons 16 years ago, A.D. said, "I didn't even think about that. That won't bother me."
3
POINTERS
LUHM'S THREE-POINTERS
All-Star Idea
Miami's Stan Van Gundy will coach the Eastern All-Stars. But he suggests the coach of the reigning conference champion deserves the job. "Most sports go that way," he said. "We probably should, too."
All-Star Cheer
In the 1996 All-Star Game, East forwards Scottie Pippen and Grant Hill were badly matched against the West's Shawn Kemp and Charles Barkley. According to Hill, Pippen pulled rank and grabbed the defensive assignment on Sir Charles because "Barkley was usually hung over."
Absent All-Star
The Spurs rested in L.A. for two days prior to beating the Lakers on Thursday night. But nobody visited free agent Karl Malone. "If Karl calls us, I'll talk to him," said coach Gregg Popovich. "But I'm not going to go recruiting."
Hey, as long as I get an Espy for it.
New Jersey's Vince Carter, talking about his acrobatic 360-degree layup during the Nets' recent 109-103 win over the Lakers in
Los Angeles.
3
Despite the fact Sacramento had just nine players available and its game at Golden State went into overtime Wednesday night, former Jazz center Greg Ostertag still played only three minutes in the Kings' come-from-behind win. Starting center Brad Miller played 51 minutes.
5 PLAYERS LIKELY TO BE TRADED
1. Donyell Marshall, Toronto - Lost minutes to Chris Bosh
2. Gary Payton, Boston - Leaving after the season
3. Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Port. - Only 28 and can play
4. P.J. Brown, New Orleans - Solid big guys hard to find
5. Toni Kukoc, Milwaukee - Could help right contender
5 PLAYERS WHO MIGHT BE TRADED
1. Paul Pierce, Boston - Part of an Ainge blockbuster?
2. Baron Davis, New Orleans - Hornets in reload mood
3. Eddie Jones, Miami - Shaq would give his approval
4. Michael Redd, Bucks - Already eyeing free agency
5. Ray Allen, Seattle - Contract talks not going well
5 AVAILABLE PLAYERS NOBODY WANTS
1. Antoine Walker, Atlanta - Few have won with him
2. Glenn Robinson, Philadelphia - A no-show this season
3. Darius Miles, Portland - Character questions back
4 Allan Houston, New York - Big contract, bad knees
5. Jalen Rose, Toronto - Owed $33 million next 2 years
Phoenix
at Sacramento
Tuesday, 8 p.m., TV: NBA TV
Contenders in the West
Denver at
Minnesota
Wednesday, 8 p.m., TV: NBA TV
A big division battle
Sacramento
at Seattle
Thursday, 8:30 p.m., TV: TNT
Should be a shootout
Denver at
Cleveland
Friday, 6 p.m., TV: ESPN
Carmelo vs. LeBron
Washington
at Detroit
Saturday, 5:30 p.m., TV: NBA TV
Pistons finally rolling
Kyle Korver
PHILADELPHIA
In a three-game stretch, Korver hit a game-tying jumper with 0.4 seconds left at New Orleans, scored nine of the Sixers' final 13 points in a victory over Dallas, and buried the winning jumper with 6.5 seconds left against Indiana.
Kareem Rush
CHARLOTTE
Acquired from the Lakers for two second-round draft picks, Rush averaged 18.8 points on 57-percent three-point shooting in a four-game span. "This is a great offense for me," Rush said.
Chris Kaman
L.A. CLIPPERS
Coach Mike Dunleavy said Kaman can be "a poor man's Tim Duncan" after the second-year center averaged 14.1 points and 9.8 rebounds in a 10-game stretch. Since mid-January, the Clippers have outrebounded the opposition by an average of 7.7 per game.
Rasheed Wallace
DETROIT
Before the reigning world champion Pistons met with President George Bush, reporters asked the classy Wallace about the upcoming visit to the White House. "I ain't going to say [expletive] to him," Wallace replied. "I didn't vote for him. I'm not excited at all."
Stephen Jackson
INDIANA
The Pacers lost five in a row after Jackson's return from a 30-game suspension for his part on the Indiana-Detroit brawl in November. In a narrow loss at Philly, Jackson missed two free throws and a three-pointer in the final moments.
Devean George
L.A. LAKERS
He was close to finally returning after offseason ankle surgery, but then suffered a bruised foot in practice. He is sidelined again - this time indefinitely - while his team struggles along without Kobe Bryant.
1. San Antonio 38-10
Now the clear favorite
2. Phoenix 37-11
Schedule softens up
3. Sacramento 32-14
Adelman gets extension
4. Seattle 31-13
Pulling away in division
5. Dallas 30-15
Nice win over Heat
6. Miami 34-14
Still tops in the East
7. Detroit 28-19
Has eye on Miami
8. Cleveland 26-19
Not as deep as some
9. Memphis 27-21
Overpowered Phoenix
10. Houston 27-21
Padgett's a factor
11. Washington 26-19
Still hanging around
12. Orlando 25-21
Francis an All-Star?
13. L.A. Lakers 24-20
24 of last 38 on road
14. Minnesota 24-23
Trailed Suns by 40
15. L.A. Clippers 23-24
Next 7 on the road
16. Chicago 22-21
Is hot streak over?
17. Denver 20-26
More energy lately
18. Portland 19-26
Cheeks on hot seat
19. Indiana 21-24
Now Tinsley is hurt
20. Philadelphia 22-24
15-10 vs. the East
21. Boston 23-24
Pierce stepping up
22. New Jersey 20-27
Slowed by injuries
23. Toronto 20-27
Trade winds blowing
24. Milwaukee 17-27
Van Horn is back
25. New York 18-28
2-13 in January
26. Utah 15-31
Charlotte? New Jersey?
27. Golden State 13-33
Blew one vs. Kings
28. Charlotte 10-33
Too good for Jazz
29. New Orleans 8-38
Davis hurt again
30. Atlanta 9-36
7 of 8 on the road
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WHAT AN NBA SCOUT SAYS:
Who's going to end up coaching the Lakers?
"I don't see anything imminent. Frank [Hamblen] will probably get a chance to coach them the rest of the season. But after that, who knows? . . . One name that's there is [UConn's] Jim Calhoun. Whether that's realistic, I don't know. But when you throw around that kind of money, I suppose anything's possible."
Hornets: Behind the Eight-Ball
