Believe It or Not, Sam Mitchell Is in Demand

If you believe the latest scuttlebutt being bandied about by reporters these days, Raptors coach Sam Mitchell will be in demand if the Raptors opt not to renew his contract at the end of the season. Many of these rumors suggest the Charlotte Bobcats will be first in line if he's available. From the Gaston Gazette:

The New York Post did so last Sunday and were followed the next day by a pair of Toronto newspapers, the Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star. It's a move that would be welcomed by Bobcats players, even as they wonder if Mitchell would be available or even interested. ...

Added guard Brevin Knight: "I think Sam is happy where he is. If Toronto didn't want to keep him, I'm sure a lot of teams would be interested. I think he's a good coach."

Four months ago, a player calling Mitchell "a good coach" and suggesting there would be competition for his services would be crazy talk. Mitchell posted a .366 winning percentage in his first two seasons in Toronto, but he's helped turn things around this year, with the Raps not just clinching a playoff spot but emerging as the far and away best team in the Atlantic Division and the current third seed in the East.

It's still possible (and depending who you ask, maybe even likely) that the Raptors will bring Mitchell back next year, but I have a hunch he's still viewed by the front office brass as simply a caretaker until GM Bryan Colangelo can entice Suns assistant Marc Iavaroni to leave behind the desert for the Great White North. Iavaroni has been linked in rumors with the Grizzlies all season long, but Memphis is now believed to be pursuing University of Florida's coach Billy Donovan.

Plus, the Bobcats are far more likely to look past Mitchell's first two seasons than any other team. Team president and coach Bernie Bickerstaff, who will be moving full-time into the front office next year, has a history with Mitchell -- he named Mitchell his top assistant three years ago before the Raptors ended up hiring him as their head coach.