<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">It is 84 days and counting since the Knicks opened their coaching search, and the first sign of significant progress may come today when Larry Brown meets with the Detroit Pistons to discuss his future. Since April he has been Isiah Thomas' top choice, and Brown could be available if the Pistons sever ties with their Hall of Fame coach. Several league sources believe that the Pistons no longer want Brown. "I think he's out," said a person familiar with the Pistons' thinking. "They don't like that he met with Cleveland and that he's talked about the Knicks. It may not happen today but that's where it is headed." But those same sources doubt that Pistons owner William Davidson and president Joe Dumars will allow a coach as valuable as Brown to simply run off and join the Knicks. Brown, who played golf yesterday in the Hamptons, told the the Daily News on Monday, "I'd doubt they'd let me coach anywhere else." Thomas has said for weeks that out of respect for Davidson and Dumars he will not negotiate with Brown while he is under contract with the Pistons. Brown, who has stated publicly his desire to continue coaching the Pistons, is scheduled to make $18 million over the next three years. There are several ways today's meeting could be resolved. The Pistons can fire Brown, and once he is hired by another team - presumably the Knicks - Detroit would no longer be obligated to pay him. Another scenario would be for both sides to put their differences aside and announce that Brown is returning for the coming season. In two seasons, Brown led the Pistons to two straight NBA Finals, winning the title in 2004. The Pistons are built to win now, and most NBA officials believe that Brown is the best coach for the team. If Brown departs, Dumars will then hire Flip Saunders and would run the risk of facing heavy scrutiny if Saunders doesn't come close to duplicating Brown's success.</div> Source
