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Paul Westphal to be added to the coaching staff ?
Ex-coach Westphal interests Mavs
By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News
Paul Westphal, who was a head coach in the NBA for seven years, has emerged as a strong candidate to join Mavericks coach Avery Johnson's staff.
Westphal, a former NBA All-Star, has been out of coaching since 2005 after spending four seasons at Pepperdine University. He has been doing television work in the Los Angeles area the last two years.
Johnson has two openings on his bench – one to replace Del Harris, who is moving into a consultant's role, and the other to fill the spot vacated by Sam Vincent, who was named coach of the Charlotte Bobcats last month.
Westphal, 56, is expected to visit with Johnson today as the Mavericks' minicamp continues. He could be the kind of veteran voice Johnson wants on his staff. Westphal was a 6-4 guard who played 12 seasons in the NBA, making the All-Star Game five times and playing in 107 playoff games. He won a championship with Boston in 1974.
As a coach, Westphal led the Phoenix Suns to the NBA Finals in 1993, losing to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.
He has a 273-168 record as an NBA coach. His last NBA coaching job was with Seattle, where he coached two full seasons, making the playoffs once, before being fired 15 games into the 2000-01 season.
Johnson also is talking to prospects about Vincent's spot on the bench, with Mario Elie a possibility. Elie has been an assistant coach at San Antonio and Golden State but spent last season out of coaching.
Elie also is a candidate to join Rick Adelman's staff in Houston. Former Rockets assistant Tom Thibodeau has been mentioned as a possibility for Johnson's staff.
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Paul Westphal to be added to the coaching staff ?
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