Eddie Jordan could officially become the next Rutgers coach as soon as today, a source with direct knowledge of the situation told SNY.tv Thursday.
The Star-Ledger earlier reported that Jordan will meet today with school President Robert Barchi.
“I know he wants it,” the source said of Jordan, the former Rutgers star and former head coach with the Washington Wizards, Sacramento Kings and Philadelphia 76ers. “It just depends on how the negotiations go.”
The source said the school was now offering Jordan approximately $1 million annually, slightly more than Penn State coach Pat Chambers makes. Chambers is the lowest-paid coach in the Big Ten at $900,000 annually.
New Minnesota coach Richard Pitino recently accepted a six-year deal worth $1.2 million annually.
“I know [Jordan] is not going to be the lowest-paid coach in the Big Ten,” the source said. “I know that.”
If Jordan takes the job, he is expected to keep associate head coach David Cox and assistant Van Macon on staff. That news was first reported by The Star-Ledger, and confirmed by the source to SNY.tv.
Both were not involved in the Mike Rice videotape scandal that cost Rice, assistant Jimmy Martelli and athletic director Tim Pernetti their jobs.
Like Jordan, Cox has strong recruiting ties in the Washington, D.C. area, and Macon has strong ties in New York City.
By keeping Cox and Macon, Rutgers may also hold on to some of the players still on the roster, with Myles Mack and Kadeem Jack being two key pieces who have not asked for their releases.
Jerome Seagears, Malick Kone and Vincent Garrett have all been given their releases, and Mike Poole and Eli Carter have also requested theirs.
