Wilkens’ Deal Is Expected

It looks as if Lenny Wilkens won’t be out of a coaching job for very long.

Wilkens, 62, the winningest coach in NBA history with 1,179 victories, has been negotiating with Toronto General to succeed Butch Carter as coach of the Raptors. Several reports said the deal is done.

Wilkens resigned as coach of the Atlanta Hawks after the team finished 28-54 last season, next-to-last in the Eastern Conference.

The New York Post, without citing sources, said Sunday that Wilkens has been hired by the Raptors.

The Toronto Star said an announcement could come today. The newspaper said the only thing left is for Wilkens to meet with minority owner Larry Tanenbaum.

The Globe and Mail reported Monday that most of the contract details have been worked out.

“Nothing is done yet,” Wilkens told the Toronto Sun.

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NBC is on pace for the lowest-rated NBA finals in two decades.

Game 5 of the best-of-seven series between the Lakers and Indiana Pacers pulled in a national rating of 10 with a 20 share, the network said.

That left NBC with a five-game average of 10.9, a drop of 4% from the 11.3 that 1999’s finals between New York and San Antonio averaged. Those finals drew the fewest number of households since the 1981 finals between Boston and Houston.

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Guard Emmanuel Davis exercised his option to stay with Seattle for the second year of his two-year contract, the SuperSonics said.