Vincent out as Bobcats coach

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Michael Jordan took a chance on a young, inexperienced coach and it didn't work. Sam Vincent was fired Saturday after one turmoil-filled, non-playoff season running the Charlotte Bobcats.

Vincent's dismissal was just minutes old when speculation turned to whether Jordan, the Bobcats' part-owner with the final say on all basketball decisions, would take a 180-degree turn with his next hire.

Is the old reliable — and temperamental — Larry Brown poised to return to North Carolina, be reunited with his fellow former Tar Heel Jordan, and coach his ninth NBA team?

Neither side was talking. Jordan was unavailable for questions and the team called off a conference call Saturday night.

Brown didn't return phone calls, and his agent refused to discuss the Bobcats opening. But Joe Glass said his 67-year-old client is eager to coach again, after resigning as executive vice president of the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday.

"Larry is interested in getting back into coaching in the pros or college," Glass said.

Brown could get a chance to erase memories of his last coaching job, an ugly one season with the New York Knicks that ended in 2006, at the expense of Vincent.

Struggling to find a consistent rotation and clashing with players, Vincent led the Bobcats to a 32-50 record in a season the fourth-year franchise felt confident would end with its first playoff berth.

"The decision to remove Sam as head coach after just one season was difficult, but it was a decision that had to be made because my first obligation is to do what is in the best interest of our team," Jordan said in a statement.

Reached at his home in Dallas on Saturday night, the 44-year-old Vincent expressed disappointment at being given only one year.

"I can understand why he needs to make a change. I can understand where he's trying to take the team," Vincent said. "I don't wish them anything but the best. I'm disappointed, but I'm hopeful for them that things will turn around and the Bobcats can be a successful organization."

When Bernie Bickerstaff stepped down as coach to take a job in the front office at the end of the 2006-07 season, Jordan said he was looking for a young coach in the mold of Avery Johnson of the Dallas Mavericks.

Vincent, a former first-round pick of the Boston Celtics and Jordan's one-time teammate in Chicago, had worked for one year under Johnson in Dallas, his only NBA coaching experience.

Jordan said he was intrigued by Vincent's international experience. Vincent coached the Nigerian women's national team, and had coaching stints in South Africa, Greece and The Netherlands. Vincent was coaching in the NBA Development League before going to Dallas.

Vincent was given a four-year contract by the Bobcats, but only the first two years were guaranteed.

While majority owner Bob Johnson gave Vincent a vote of confidence late in the season, Jordan was mum on the issue, saying he would decide on Vincent's fate after the season.

Notes

• Washington expects to have Gilbert Arenas in the starting lineup for Game 4 against Cleveland. The guard left Game 3 Friday with a bruised left knee after logging 10 minutes, but practiced Saturday and will start, coach Eddie Jordan said.

"I was trying to slow him down so he could save his legs, but he looked good and he looks like he's ready to go," Jordan said.

• Forward Antonio McDyess returned to Detroit and had surgery to repair the broken nose he suffered in Game 3 of the Pistons' playoff series with Philadelphia. Coach Flip Saunders said McDyess' availability for Game 4 today would depend on how he felt after surgery.