In the small NBA-WNBA coaching carousel, Coop might be out sooner than we'd hoped, but Bill might be in sooner than we'd expected.

In Denver, the Nuggets continue to struggle. Many of the players are hurt or pouting or both. Yesterday Denver GM Kiki Vandeweghe flew to Chicago to meet with George Karl, and Marc Stein reported this afternoon that Karl and the Nuggets are hammering out a deal.

In Detroit, Larry Brown may be on his way out as Pistons head coach. Awhile ago, I said that Brown would be around for at least a few years. But he's had a bad run lately. His Olympic team fared poorly and faced derision from all corners. His Detroit squad, after unexpectedly winning the title in '04, has fallen back to the middle of the pack (sound familiar?). He's been complaining about the new NBA rules, and he's been bickering in the press with some of his stars. His friend Tony Kornheiser has started hinting that Brown won't be back next year, and Brown himself said recently, "I don't know how much longer I really want to coach, to be honest."

If Larry leaves, Laimbeer will have the inside track, though he may face competition from Phil Jackson, Pat Riley... and Michael Cooper.