Gulp.
"Maybe I've got this thing all wrong," said one Eastern Conference basketball executive who keeps close tabs on such things, "but I think he's at least going to have a chance to interview in Sacramento. I know he was the guy (Kings general manager Geoff) Petrie wanted last summer, and I know the guy people thought they wanted this year they could talk to now, and they haven't."
My problem with Carlesimo has nothing to do with pedigree or Xs and Os. It has to do with respect in the lockerroom. Even though it's been 10 years, every player in this league remembers the Sprewell incident. Quincy Douby was 10 years old, for goodness sake. But I guarantee he remembers it.
And yes, Carlesimo was the victim. But when a dude gets beat up by another dude... unfair as it is, the victim is looked at differently. He's going to be questioned at every term.
And hiring Carlesimo puts Geoff Petrie at a significant disadvantage in trading Ron Artest. Because you know he has to trade Artest if he hires Carlesimo -- everyone in the league knows it.
After the failed Musselman experiment... do we really want to bring in a similar personality?