Chances are George Karl won't be consulted for input on picking his successor as Milwaukee Bucks head coach.

But Karl left no doubt where his feelings on the matter rested.

"I'd probably hire me," said Karl, explaining that the current Bucks remind him of the Seattle SuperSonics team he rebuilt from the bottom up.

When reminded that he was not a viable option, Karl said he favored two of his former assistants, Terry Stotts, who is the interim head coach of the Atlanta Hawks, and Bucks assistant Don Newman.

While Stotts remains a frontrunner for the job, Newman eliminated himself from consideration on Wednesday.

"I hope Terry or Donnie gets it," Karl said. "Those would be my personal choices of the people they are interviewing.

"They both have an advantage to coaching this team because they know it and have a comfort zone with it."

Newman still may remain with the Bucks as an assistant under the new coach, but he is rumored to be interested in an assistant position with the New Jersey Nets.

The Milwaukee Bucks' efforts to downsize their roster, payroll and perhaps their performance level has not caught up with the oddsmakers.

At least not yet.

In the off-season, the Stardust Race and Sports Book opened the Bucks' odds of winning the NBA championship at 30-1. It has not changed since then.

There are 12 other teams with better odds of winning the NBA title, according to Stardust, including the Los Angeles Lakers (6-5 odds), San Antonio (9-2), Sacramento (5-1), Dallas (7-1), New Jersey and Detroit (15-1).

George Karl was disappointed, but he wasn't angry.

He was baffled, but he wasn't totally shocked.

For the first time since his surprise firing as the Milwaukee Bucks' head coach on July 20, Karl spoke publicly at his youth basketball camp Tuesday at Whitefish Bay High School.

While he talked about "celebrating" his future, it was clear he wasn't quite ready to close the book on his recent past.

His five seasons in Milwaukee made Karl wealthy beyond his dreams and put him in a position where he would never have to work another day in his life.

Yet Karl spoke about his plans for the future and of the sting he feels of not being allowed to earn the final year of his contract, valued at $7 million.

"There's a depression and there's rejection," Karl admitted. "There's an emptiness when I wake up in the morning of not having a job. I'm not over that."

While the decision to let him go didn't come as a total surprise to Karl, who leaves the Bucks with a 219-191 record and four trips to the playoffs over five seasons, he admits he doesn't understand why the decision was made.

The first things you look for, given the whirlwind off-season the Timberwolves have had, are the reunions.

For example: In the Wolves 2003-2004 schedule, which was officially released Tuesday, the Wolves will open the season Oct. 29 at home against Milwaukee. That will enable Sam Cassell and Ervin Johnson to open the season against their former team.

Michael Olowokandi, the Wolves' new center will face his old squad, the L.A. Clippers, at Target Center Nov. 22. Latrell Sprewell? The New York Knicks come to Minnesota Nov. 26.

In their 15th season, the Timberwolves will play 20 games on the weekend, including seven home games on Sunday afternoon. They will appear on national television 17 times: ABC will carry a game with Houston Jan. 17; the Wolves will appear on ESPN /ESPN2 10 times, on TNT five times and on TSN once.

"I like our schedule," said Chris Wright, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for the Wolves. "It's a really, really balanced schedule."

The Milwaukee Bucks' search to find a replacement for coach George Karl is kicking into high gear.

At least four candidates - Atlanta Hawks interim coach Terry Stotts; Sacramento Kings assistant coach Terry Porter; Bucks assistant Don Newman; and Detroit Pistons assistant coach Mike Woodson - are known to have interviewed already with general manager Larry Harris.

Another, Seattle SuperSonics associate head coach Dwane Casey, is to be in Milwaukee today for his interview. Two other candidates, Phoenix Suns assistant coach Marc Iavaroni and former Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Sidney Moncrief, are also expected to interview with Harris this week.

Considering that the Bucks must pay off the final year of Karl's contract, which is valued at $7 million, they might be looking for a coach on the value end of the pay scale. That could favor Porter, a Milwaukee native, who with just one year of coaching experience has the shortest coaching resume of the seven known candidates.

"The only way you get experience is if somebody gives you a chance," said Porter, who interviewed for the job Thursday.

"I would have to say my biggest selling point is 17 years (as a player) in the NBA. I played a long time in this league. It's another game now but I think I learned the game pretty well.

The question is asked at some point in every job interview: "So why do you want to work here?"

The Milwaukee Bucks will pose that question today to Sonics associate head coach Dwane Casey. He heard a similar question last month in Toronto when the Raptors were interested in him for their coaching vacancy.

Casey, 46, is on the Bucks' long list of potential replacements for George Karl, who was fired last week.

"You never give a stock answer," Casey said weeks ago about the interviewing process. "More than anything, you speak from the heart."

Casey is the third candidate to meet with Bucks general manager Larry Harris, following Atlanta Hawks interim coach Terry Stotts and Bucks assistant Don Newman, who interviewed last week.

Reportedly interviewing later this week are Marc Iavaroni, Phoenix assistant; Terry Porter, Sacramento assistant; and Sidney Moncrief, former Dallas assistant and former Bucks great.

Dick Bennett literally watched Terry Porter grow up and now he thinks it's time for his former player to take the next step in his basketball development.

"I think Terry would make a great NBA coach," said Bennett, the former University of Wisconsin coach who recently came out of retirement to accept the Washington State head coaching position. "If Milwaukee is looking for a guy who relates to younger players, they can't find a better coach than Terry."

Porter, who played for Bennett at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point from 1981 through 1985 after prepping at Milwaukee South, is believed to be one of seven candidates under consideration for the Milwaukee Bucks head coaching position. The opening was created recently when George Karl was fired with one year remaining on his contract.

The Bucks also are believed to be considering Atlanta Hawks interim coach Terry Stotts; former Bucks great and more recently a Dallas Mavericks assistant, Sidney Moncrief; current Bucks assistant Don Newman; Detroit Pistons assistant Mike Woodson; Seattle SuperSonics associate head coach Dwane Casey; and Phoenix Suns assistant Marc Iavaroni.

Of all the candidates, Porter, who has been an assistant with the Sacramento Kings for one season, has the shortest coaching resume. But none can match his record of longevity as a player.

Dwane Casey will interview for the Milwaukee Bucks head coaching job on Monday.

Casey, Sonics associate head coach under Nate McMillan, is considered one of the NBA's top assistant coaches. He declined to comment on the Bucks and their coaching vacancy.

Earlier this summer, Casey was one of two finalists for the Toronto Raptors coaching job. That position was one of the best vacancies in the league this summer since the Raptors have Vince Carter, an All-Pro caliber player if healthy. Two years ago the Raptors were a game away from making the conference finals.

The Bucks are in a rebuilding mode, having traded away the core trio of Ray Allen, Sam Cassell and Glenn Robinson in the past year. In the past month, Gary Payton left in free agency, general manager Ernie Grunfeld left for the Washington Wizards and coach George Karl was fired.

Don Newman, the only in-house candidate in the Milwaukee Bucks' search to replace coach George Karl, has already interviewed for the job.

Newman has spent the past four seasons on the Bucks' staff as an assistant coach under Karl. Whether his association with Karl works for or against him remains to be seen.

"I don't think it will work against him at all," said Newman's agent, Danny More. "Stotts and Woodson are George Karl guys, too."

Atlanta interim coach Terry Stotts, who on Wednesday interviewed with Bucks general manager Larry Harris, and Newman, who interviewed Tuesday, are the only two candidates who are known to have interviewed for the job thus far. Philadelphia assistant Mike Woodson is expected to interview for the position Sunday.

Other candidates expected to interview for the job next week are Phoenix Suns assistant Marc Iavaroni; Seattle SuperSonics associate head coach Dwane Casey; Sacramento Kings assistant Terry Porter; and former Dallas Mavericks assistant and former Bucks great Sidney Moncrief.

The leading scorer from last season has found a new home. The coach could be next.

Hawks coach Terry Stotts said he interviewed with Milwaukee Bucks general manager Larry Harris for several hours Wednesday --- the same day his current employer dealt Glenn Robinson to the Philadelphia 76ers. Stotts said he spoke with Robinson before the trade was completed. Stotts said Robinson sounded pleased about playing with a playoff contender.

Stotts' status as coach remains uncertain as prospective owner David McDavid continues to negotiate with AOL Time Warner, but he won't sit idly by.

He was an assistant with the Bucks for four years under George Karl before joining the Hawks staff last summer. He led the Hawks to a 24-31 record after taking over for Lon Kruger on Dec. 26, but he has been open about his desire to return to Milwaukee since the Bucks bought out the final year of Karl's contract Sunday.