Michael Jordan's search for a coach of the Washington Wizards has finally come to an end.
As expected, former University of Miami men's basketball coach Leonard Hamilton accepted the Wizards' five-year, $10 million offer Wednesday. Hamilton, Washington's first head coach to be hired from college, led Miami to five consecutive winning seasons and three consecutive NCAA appearances, including a trip to the Sweet 16 this year.
Jordan -- the team's president of basketball operations -- wanted to hire a coach in time for last month's NBA lottery but negotiations with St. John's Mike Jarvis failed. Lenny Wilkens, the NBA's leader in career victories and a Hall of Fame coach, said he was offered the job when he wasn't. John Paxson, a former teammate of Jordan's with the Chicago Bulls, also was involved in the coaching search, but he was not interested.
''He wasn't my first choice,'' Jordan said, ''but I wasn't the first pick in the draft either. Sometimes you just have to deal with where you are. And if you feel comfortable with the selection, you make the best of it.''
To which Hamilton added, ''I was my wife's second choice, and we've been married for 31 years.''
Hamilton, 51, has a reputation of bringing out the best in his players with his workmanlike effort.
''Basketball is my life,'' Hamilton said. ''You can find me in one of three places: at church, with my team, at home watching tapes of games or somewhere in between the three places.''
The Gastonia, N.C., native has his work cut out for him. Washington has not won a playoff game in 12 years and has gone through five coaches in the last three seasons.
Blazers on the move: Portland's Brian Grant is leaning toward exercising an ''out'' clause in his contract and becoming a free agent, said his agent, Mark Bartelstein.
The decision would void the remaining four years and about $40 million from the deal Grant signed in 1997. He is due to make more than $8 million next season. ''We'll probably exercise the 'out' clause,'' Bartelstein said. ''It just gives him some flexibility. It just creates a few more options for him.''
Bartelstein emphasized that Grant wants to re-sign with the Blazers.
However, teammate Jermaine O'Neal wants out. He has asked to be traded. ''I definitely want to be traded,'' O'Neal told The (Portland) Oregonian. He said his agent, Arn Tellem, has made his request to Blazers President Bob Whitsitt. O'Neal, 21, is entering his fifth NBA season and the second year of a four-year, $24 million contract he signed Aug. 2.
Jones-Hornets talks: Charlotte coach Paul Silas is optimistic that free agent guard Eddie Jones could return to the Hornets.
The two met earlier this month for two hours at the team's training center, and Silas said Wednesday it ''went great, with good communication.''
''He told me that money was not going to be a factor, which made me happy,'' Silas said. ''But he's got some other criteria that will go into it.''
Silas said among the issues Jones is concerned about is that the team remain in Charlotte. The Hornets are trying to work out a deal with the city for a new arena and have hinted that they will leave Charlotte if they don't get one.
Contributing: wire reports