A week ago, between the end of the Lakers' semi-final round victory over the Rockets and before the Conference Finals against the Nuggets, Kurt Rambis met with 76ers' general manager Ed Stefanski to discuss his candidacy for the vacant head coaching job in Philly. While we found the timing of the meeting curious (you know, considering the Lakers are in the middle of the playoffs), the fact is that Rambis has paid his dues as an assistant, and is more than ready to get his shot at being the man in charge somewhere else.
That opportunity won't come for him in Philadelphia, however, as the Sixers have decided to go in another direction with their search for next season. The report does say that Rambis is still in the running for the job in Sacramento, but he seems to be facing some pretty stiff competition.
Rambis, though, remains in the running for the Sacramento job, but the same source indicated that he would not meet with the Kings until after the NBA's Western Conference finals series against the Denver Nuggets that continues tonight in Los Angeles. The Kings have also let it be known that they intend to meet with Boston Celtics' associate head coach Tom Thibodeau--another Sixers interviewee--later this week.
Thibodeau has almost gotten more credit than Doc Rivers for that championship that Boston took home last season, mainly because he's been the team's "defensive coordinator" so to speak, and there's no question that the Celtics won the 2008 title on the strength of their defense.
If Rambis gets passed over in favor of Thibodeau in Sacramento (which is likely), he may do well to just wait it out one more season in Los Angeles. Phil Jackson hasn't said whether he will continue to coach past the end of next season when his contract is up, and Rambis would certainly be a top candidate to replace him, should Jackson choose to step down.
Besides, who would you rather coach right now -- the Kings or the Lakers?
