From Kate Fagan of the Philadelphia Inquirer:

The 76ers interviewed Eddie Jordan yesterday in what was the first step of what one source said would be a long, thorough search for the team's next coach. [...]

A source close to the Sixers' situation has said [Ed] Stefanski would not feel pressured if another team offered Jordan a head coaching job. The team's search is likely to include candidates who are assistant coaches with currently active playoff teams. The source said including such candidates extends the timing of the search.

This is a net positive for Jordan fans -- E.J. isn't getting a Philadelphia job offer this weekend, or something.

The difference, though, is that Philly's search is being billed as "long and thorough." We assume Stefanski will go through top assistants like Tom Thibodeau, Kurt Rambis, Brian Shaw, Elston Turner ... maybe Patrick Ewing and John Kuester. Doug Collins is still attached to the opening. Sam Mitchell wouldn't be a surprise.

The Kings have had an opening an extra three weeks. And the team has formally interviewed one more coach than Philadelphia. That's not "thorough." That's just long.

If I could amend my morning pessimism, I'll note that I'm severely understating the impact the date of May 19 has. Like, could someone come out of the woodwork if Blake Griffin gets his ticket for Sacramento on Tuesday? Could some magnificent coaching name ring up Joe and Gavin if the Kings win the thing? I have trouble figuring out who that could be (I literally don't have a guess ... Jeff Van Gundy?), but the possibility is there. However small it is.

There's also the matter of Rubio that I left out of that pessimistic post. As in, scouting Rubio is pretty time-sensitive. Petrie prioritized that over the coaching search. You can't blame him for that. I don't blame him for that. Figuring out if Rubio has it is more important than interviewing Mike Fratello, without question.