Clippers Talk to Fratello; Tarkanian Denies Interest

Mike Fratello, one of the biggest names available, on Wednesday became the first person to meet with both owner Donald T. Sterling and General Manager Elgin Baylor regarding the Clippers’ coaching vacancy.

Fratello, who announced days after the conclusion of the regular season that he would not seek a new contract to continue as coach of the Atlanta Hawks, could not be reached for comment. But it is believed the Clippers consider him a leading candidate to replace Don Casey.

Nevada Las Vegas Coach Jerry Tarkanian dismissed a report in Wednesday’s Times linking him to the Clipper coaching job as having “absolutely no truth.”

Tarkanian said he has no intention of seeking the job, and said the report he would meet with Sterling about the vacancy “makes me sick.”

“There’s absolutely no truth to that at all,” Tarkanian said. “It just amazes me that someone would write something like that and not even check with me about it.”

Sterling referred all questions to Baylor, who could not be reached. The general manager has no set timetable to name a new coach, only that he would like the matter to be completed before the June 27 draft.

Meanwhile, Casey, unwanted by the Clippers, continues to draw interest elsewhere on a couple of levels.

He met again Wednesday with officials from George Washington University in Washington, D.C., about the Colonials’ coaching vacancy. He is regarded as a leading candidate along with Boston University’s Mike Jarvis.

Casey was on an original list of 15 candidates that also included Bob Staak, one of his assistants last season with the Clippers, but Staak has since withdrawn.

Additionally, Casey is among five being considered for the top basketball front-office job with the Denver Nuggets, a to-be-determined title along the lines of general manager or director of player personnel, the Rocky Mountain News reported.

Casey said he has not been contacted by Denver, whose new president, Carl Scheer, will oversee business operations.