http://www.nola.com/hornets/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/108546850899780.xml Time's a wasting for Shinn, Hornets Tuesday, May 25, 2004 John DeShazier Essentially, the news on the Hornets coaching search is that there is no news. It looks like no one will be hired within the next day or two. And that's not necessarily good news. It's critical, obviously, that the Hornets hire the right man for the job. We've seen the kind of on- and off-court deterioration that can take place when the wrong one is employed. But it's nearing three weeks since Tim Floyd was fired, and, ideally, the process could have been completed by now. "We're in the process," outgoing general manager Bob Bass said. "I think it's going to be a while." Which means, soon after the June 24 NBA Draft, the team could be without a coach or general manager, since Bass' retirement becomes official at the end of next month. "(Having a coach by the draft) is the best-case (scenario)," Bass said. "(But) that's not a have-to." Still, the longer it takes for majority owner George Shinn to conduct interviews -- former Nets coach Byron Scott last week, former Lakers assistant Michael Cooper this past weekend and two or three others that are on the list -- the more opportunity there is for another team in search of a coach to sneak in and walk off with the Hornets' top choice, whoever that happens to be. Bass, who is helping conduct the search, admitted that one candidate appears more attractive than the others. Of course, no indication of who that could be is coming from Bass, who can keep a secret with the best of them. That's fine. He and Shinn don't need to take out an ad or blare out a name through a bullhorn. They do, however, need to take aside the top candidate and force him to make a decision by making him an offer. Then, they'll quickly learn the intentions of Scott (two trips to the NBA Finals and a smooth sit-down with Shinn and Bass seem to make him a logical top choice), Cooper or any other. And, if the top choice hedges, waiting to see what might happen if a scenario unfolds within another franchise, it'll give them the opportunity to move along to No. 2. Frankly, the list of candidates probably didn't have to be as long as it appears to be, which could shave time off the process. Besides Scott and TV analyst Mike Fratello, who might not even be a serious candidate, the others don't figure to be easy sells. Nets assistant Brian Hill was an assistant for last season's Hornets, which means some Hornets players might view him as a person who undermined Paul Silas. Current Hornets assistant Alvin Gentry, who was on Floyd's staff, similarly might be labeled. Cooper, who won several championships as a Lakers player, was a Lakers assistant but never has been an NBA head coach and didn't win any titles as a Lakers assistant. And if Shinn and minority owner Ray Wooldridge are as cool toward each other as almost everyone seems to believe, that works against Fratello, a Wooldridge favorite. Wooldridge spearheaded the relocation from Charlotte, N.C., to New Orleans, while Shinn watched and applauded, but Shinn seems to not have much need of his input now that the Hornets are here and the lease agreement is in place. "I really don't like coaching changes," Bass said. "It's the NBA, and I understand it. But a (coaching) search is tough, trying to make the right decision and get the right coach." It only gets harder as time passes and the top choices are presented more options. . . . . . . . John DeShazier can be reached at [email protected] or (504) 826-3410. --

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