Jerry

Sloan

“Jerry Sloan will always be synonymous with the Utah Jazz,” read a statement from the team. “He will forever be a part of the Utah Jazz organization and we join his family, friends and fans in mourning his loss ... His 1,223 Jazz coaching wins, 20 trips to the NBA Playoffs and two NBA Finals appearances are remarkable achievements.” He was a two-time All-Star as a player and made six All-Defensive teams, epitomizing the toughness he carried into decades of coaching. He may be gone, but he’ll never be forgotten.

Sloan, who has been linked to both the Nets and the Bucks so far, described the calls as exploratory and said there are no job offers are on the table. The Nets option is an intriguing one due to the Deron Williams factor, but ESPN’s Chris Broussard reported Sloan is a “long-shot candidate” for Brooklyn’s vacancy and Sloan himself said the Nets are not one of the teams that called him. At this point, it appears Sloan is making a concerted effort to put his name in the running, but it remains to be seen if there’s an NBA team willing to bite at the moment.

Sloan’s representatives reportedly reached out to the Clippers about the opening, but it sounds as if the talks never got very far. We don’t consider him a serious candidate, but it’s obvious Sloan is very much willing to coach again if the right opportunity presents itself.

Sloan reportedly was “rubbing shoulders with Jazz management” more often as of early June, and will likely end up consulting GM Dennis Lindsey.

The same report suggests that “a reunion [of Sloan] with ... Deron Williams is not on the horizon.” Sloan is one of at least five coaches to have interviewed with the Bucks, joining Nate McMillan, Kelvin Sampson, J.B. Bickerstaff and Steve Clifford, the latter of whom interviewed on Monday.

It’s not a surprise for one of the best coaches in the history of the game. The 71-year-old Sloan is interested in coaching again, but feels that the Bucks are not the right fit. The Bucks will shift their focus to Nate McMillan, Kelvin Sampson, J.B. Bickerstaff or possibly Steve Clifford to fill their coaching void.

Sloan “didn’t say” whether or not an offer was made to him and did not get into specifics as to what capacity he might return in, but it’s an interesting footnote if nothing else. GM Dennis Lindsey said “no comment” when asked about Sloan’s potential return. It’s worth noting that Sloan has been “rubbing shoulders with Jazz management more often.”

It would truly be a sight to behold if Williams and Sloan are reunited in Brooklyn after all of the cries about Williams being a coach-killer, but it’s too early in the process to determine if Sloan will be a legitimate candidate in the search. You can expect GM Billy King to get Williams’ opinion of the next head coach as the franchise star, but it’s unlikely to be the determining factor in the next hire.

“I’m open, I would listen,” he said. “I would definitely listen if they called.” While it’s not an outright endorsement of Williams, it’s telling that both Williams and Sloan have said they harbor no ill will toward one another in less than 24 hours.

Woelfel also reported on Milwaukee radio that Sloan would prefer to work in a smaller market, meaning the Bucks could be a dark horse for his services. Of course, Sloan would have to be interested in the Bucks roster and remaking the entire team, but it’s clear that he’s not slamming the door on the possibility of a return.