Thompson Hasn’t Decided About Becoming Manager of the Nuggets

John Thompson said today that he still hasn’t decided whether he will leave Georgetown, where he has coached for 18 years, to become general manager of the Denver Nuggets.

Thompson is considering an offer worth more than $6 million from the NBA team. Reports said he was presented with a four- or five-year deal worth $700,000 per year and as much as 4% ownership of the Nuggets. That percentage would be worth about $2.8 million.

“If you think I’m considering an offer, you’re absolutely right. If you think I’ve made up my mind, you’re absolutely wrong,” the basketball coach said at a news conference at the school.

Thompson said he was just starting to talk to Georgetown officials about the offer and would not set a timetable on making a decision.

Thompson’s agent, David Falk of Arlington, Va.-based ProServ, was in Chicago today, as were Nuggets General Counsel Glen Grunwald and team President Carl Scheer. But Thompson said the three had no plans to meet.

“David’s not there on my behalf,” Thompson said at a news conference at the school. “He also happens to represent a young man named Michael Jordan.”

Scheer confirmed that an offer was made to Thompson, adding: “The ball’s in his court.”

This is not the first time an NBA team has tried to woo Thompson from Georgetown, where he has a 423-142 record and guided the Hoyas to the 1984 national championship. Several NBA teams have approached Thompson, including the New York Knicks and Seattle SuperSonics, Falk said.

“This is an annual thing with John,” Falk said. “Where it goes from here is up to John. There have been discussions, but no agreement.”

Falk, who also represents Jordan, Patrick Ewing and Boomer Esiason, said Thompson already has had two meetings with Nuggets owners Peter Bynoe, Bertram Lee and Bob Wussler, the last a lengthy Sunday session in Washington.

Bynoe’s only comment was: “The organization stands by the statement of Carl Scheer. I am not at liberty to discuss the details of our meeting.”

Thompson said in Monday’s late editions of USA Today: “I would say I’ll be coaching at Georgetown next year. That’s what I believe will happen, (but) we are exploring our options. I think I owe it to myself to listen any time somebody proposes something to me.”

Thompson earns more than $400,000 as Georgetown coach and has a contract with Nike Inc. that pays him about $250,000 a year.