"Grunwald has yet to start the formal interview process with as many
as 30 interested applicants. He probably won't start talking
seriously to the final candidates, probably about six of them, until
late May and may have someone hired by the June 26 draft."

- waymoresports.com

Here's a list of candidates for Raptors' head coach position (in no
order):

1. Mike Woodson -

"Former Kings guard Mike Woodson, long considered one of the bright
young coaching prospects, has emerged as one of the early candidates
to replace Lenny Wilkens in Toronto. He and general manager Glen
Grunwald are longtime friends, but Woodson, a 76ers assistant, has
impressed executives with other teams as well, without any such
personal loyalties." - sacbee.com

"He's got a great rapport with the players and he knows the game.
He's played for Bobby Knight, played for Larry Brown, played for
Cotton Fitzsimmons, so he's played for some great coaches. And he's
learned from them, too." - Sixers general manager, Billy King

2. Randy Wittman

"Randy Wittman's name has surfaced among some prospects for the head
coaching job in Toronto. But Raptors general manager Glen Grunwald --
who, like Wittman, played at Indiana -- hasn't called to seek
permission from Wolves vice president Kevin McHale to interview the
assistant coach. Wittman, who coached Cleveland for two seasons (1999-
2001) said he would listen if Grunwald called." - startribune.com

"This former head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers compiled a
miserable 62-102 record with a team as miserable as that record
indicates. Wittman served as an assistant to Flip Saunders in
Minnesota with the Timberwolves this season. Wittman also has ties to
Indiana University, graduating from there in 1983." - Globe and Mail

3. Paul Silas

"And in New Orleans, Silas likely is gone because of the Hornets'
unwillingness to pay him on the current level of coaching salaries." -
ESPN.com

"The name apparently at the top of the Raptors list is that of Paul
Silas, the current head coach in New Orleans, whose contract expires
at the end of the season." - Simmons, Toronto Sun

"No one in their right mind believes Paul Silas will be the Raptors'
next coach. Silas is cut from the same cloth as Wilkens and witness
how the New Orleans Hornets did nothing to get the ball out of Allen
Iverson's hands in the Hornets' playoff opener on Sunday." -
Zicarelli, Toronto Sun

5. Tom Izzo

"Raptors general manager Glen Grunwald said he is scouring the earth
to find the right replacement, and if that takes infinitely longer
than it took Kiki Vandeweghe to hire Jeff Bzdelik --which turned out
to be a good hire, by the way -- then so be it. Two names that
already have surfaced, however, are Philadelphia assistant Mike
Woodson and Michigan State coach Tom Izzo -- though that whole
college-coach-jumping-to-the-NBA thing has proved to be an
unmitigated failure." - ESPN.com

"There definitely is some intrigue within the Raptors organization
when it comes to Izzo, but the team should be wary if Izzo needs to
be courted too much. And whatever the Raptors do, they should not
break down and start offering someone like Izzo the moon." - Toronto
Sun

6. Kevin O'Neill
7. Rick Mahorn

"The Toronto Raptors are searching for a head coach from among the
assistants whose teams made the playoffs. Could that mean Kevin
O'Neill might get a call? He has been with Carlisle for two seasons
in Detroit...

O'Neill is staying mum about the subject, but he has been crucial to
the team's defensive turnaround the past two years. Pistons
broadcaster Rick Mahorn also has expressed an interest in the Toronto
job." - Detroit Free Press

8. Jeff Van Gundy
9. PJ Carlesimo

"P.J. Carlesimo is considered a long shot and it's almost
inconceivable the Raptors will go after the likes of a Jeff Van
Gundy, who is working as a colour analyst on TNT." - Toronto Sun

10. Brian James

"Considered one of the NBA's top young coaching prospects, James was
a Raptors assistant for three years before joining the coaching staff
of Doug Collins in Washington for the start of the 2001-02 season.
Before he arrived in Toronto, James served as an assistant and
advance scout for Collins with the Detroit Pistons." - Globe and Mail

11. Eddie Jordan

"Jordan's name always crops up when an NBA head coaching position
needs to be filled. Respected throughout the league, Jordan is
completing his fourth season as an assistant to Byron Scott with the
New Jersey Nets. Before that, he was with the Sacramento Kings for
five seasons before being named head coach toward the end of the 1996-
97 season." - Globe and Mail

12. Mike Fratello

13. Craig Neal

"Neal just completed his third season as a Raptors assistant and his
seventh campaign overall. His head coaching prospects were not helped
any this past season assisting Wilkens with a struggling Raptors
team." - Globe and Mail

14. Brandon Malone

"There's a nucleus of a very good basketball team. I'd love to have
the opportunity to coach [the Raptors]." - Malone

15. Terry Porter

"The new flavour of the month amongst young coaches is Terry Porter,
one year removed from a 17-year playing career, now an assistant with
the upscale Sacramento Kings.

"There's no doubt he's going to be a head coach in the league," Kings
head coach Rick Adelman said. "He's got that quality about him."

Porter couldn't command the kind of salary proven coaches like Van
Gundy or Silas could, but often -- as Rick Carlisle has proven in
Detroit -- you don't have to be the biggest name to get the job
done." - Toronto Sun

16. Jay Triano

"Triano, who doubles as the coach of the Canadian national team,
undoubtedly is seen by many in the Raptors' upper-management and
ownership as a future head coach of the team." - Toronto Sun

17. Jim Cleamons

18. Scott Skiles



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