Raptors eyeing Harris for general manager
By BILL HARRIS, TORONTO SUN
THE RAPTORS want to talk to Del Harris about becoming their general manager, not their coach. The confusion is understandable, considering the Raptors have so many job openings these days their office is like an unofficial branch of Employment Canada.
It was reported in The Toronto Sun last week that Harris' name had been linked to the GM search. Harris is employed as an assistant coach with the Dallas Mavericks and will coach the Chinese team at the Olympics in Athens this summer.
A report in a Fort Worth, Tex., newspaper yesterday said the Raptors had called the Mavericks to ask for permission to talk to Harris about the coaching vacancy in Toronto.
GM INTEREST
However, sources close to both the Raptors and the Mavericks re-confirmed yesterday that the Raptors' interest is related to Harris as a potential GM.
If the GM thing doesn't work out, Harris could be in line for the Raptors' coaching job down the road. The Raptors are looking for a media-relations co-ordinator, too, so anything's possible.
Regardless, the Raptors seem sincere in their claim that they are focused on finding a GM at this point, and the new GM essentially will be in charge of hiring the sixth head coach in club history.
The report in the Fort Worth newspaper quoted Harris as saying, "I don't talk about those types of things." However, Mavs owner Mark Cuban was quoted as saying that Harris "isn't interested."
Raptors interim general manager Jack McCloskey said late last week that the club had narrowed its GM search to eight names and he hoped to begin interviews early next week in Toronto.
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