Ex-Pistons coach could be candidate for Bulls' job
The Bulls' coaching search figures to drag on for a few more days now that a new veteran candidate has become available.
The Detroit Pistons fired coach Flip Saunders on Tuesday. It's too soon to know for certain whether the Bulls and Saunders will get together and discuss the job that has been vacant since interim coach Jim Boylan was let go April 17.
But it does seem logical that the Bulls would have interest in Saunders, who carries more experience and has had more coaching success than presumed front-runner Doug Collins.
Saunders went 176-70 in the regular season during his three-year stay in Detroit, which is the best three-year record in franchise history. His dismissal wasn't a huge surprise, however, since the Pistons just lost in the Eastern Conference finals for the third straight year.
Prior to Detroit, Saunders spent 10 seasons as head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves, posting a 411-326 record and reaching the Western Conference finals in 2004.
Saunders generally is seen as a solid strategist, though there are questions about how well he connected with the players in Detroit.
Bulls general manager John Paxson still is conducting interviews, so it wouldn't be a burden to add Saunders to the mix.
Sacramento assistant Chuck Person was expected to visit Tuesday for a second meeting with Paxson. Utah assistant Tyrone Corbin and Dwane Casey, who eventually replaced Saunders in Minnesota, are among the other possibilities for second interviews.
Reports that the Bulls planned to introduce Collins at midweek were never accurate. Paxson and chairman Jerry Reinsdorf have yet to settle on a candidate.
Saunders was dismissed with one year remaining on his contract. Pistons assistant Michael Curry, who ranked high on the Bulls' wish list, is being mentioned as the likely successor in Detroit.
Prospects weigh in: Measurements and test results from last week's Orlando predraft camp were released on DraftExpress.com.
Kansas State power forward Michael Beasley measured 6-feet-8¼ in shoes, quite a bit below the 6-10 he was listed on his college roster. Beasley does have an impressive 7-foot wingspan.
Memphis point guard Derrick Rose stood 6-2½ in shoes and fared very well in the athletic tests. Rose's vertical leap was 40 inches, which is in the upper echelon of all draft candidates during the past five years. His three-quarter-court sprint was a quick 3.05 seconds.
If anyone wants to compare Rose to the elite point guards of the 2005 draft, Deron Williams measured 6-2¾ in shoes, with a 35-inch vertical and a time in the sprint of 3.25 seconds. Chris Paul was 6-1 in shoes, jumped 38 inches and was timed at 3.22 seconds in the sprint.
This year's highest vertical leap was 42 inches by Georgetown's Patrick Ewing Jr., while USC's O.J. Mayo jumped 41 inches. West Virginia forward Joe Alexander (2.99) and Arkansas' Sonny Weems (2.96) were very impressive in the sprint.