Rutgers is closing in on hiring its next basketball coach while it closed the book on its previous one.
Lakers assistant coach Eddie Jordan and Rutgers came to an agreement in principle Thursday for him to become the school’s next coach — and its highest paid. But before an announcement can be made, the school’s Board of Governors has to meet, according to multiple reports.
While the deal with Jordan isn’t quite done, the school has come to an amicable resolution with Mike Rice, who was fired April 3 with two years left on his contract after video was released of him abusing players in practice. Rice will be paid $475,000 of a possible $1.1 million without any benefits.
Rice also agreed he won’t “solicit” any athletic-department employees to leave for another position for two years and will “provide reasonable cooperation” with any administrative, legal, internal, NCAA proceeding or other related matters.
“Tonight’s agreement is in the best interests of the university, and I am pleased this issue has been resolved,” Rutgers president Robert Barchi said in a statement, after saying earlier in the day he wouldn’t approve a severance package for Rice.
Jordan, meanwhile, met with school officials yesterday to hammer out details of the contract, the Star Ledger reported, but the board wants to review the contract, reportedly over $1 million annually over six years.
The board meeting may not take place until next week and at the earliest would be held tomorrow, as there are no meetings scheduled though an emergency one can be called on 48 hours notice, it was reported.
If agreed upon, the deal would make Jordan the highest paid coach in Rutgers history, just a year before the school’s move into the powerhouse Big Ten.
The 58-year-old Jordan, who has coached the Kings, Wizards and 76ers in the NBA and played in the league for seven seasons, played for Rutgers from 1973-77, and was on the 1975-76 Final Four team.
Jordan is expected to retain assistant David Cox, who has been serving as interim head coach. He has the support of the program’s remaining players, a source told The Post.
Three players — Jerome Seagears, Vincent Garrett and Malick Kone — have received releases from their scholarships. Sophomore guard and leading scorer Eli Carter and junior forward Mike Poole are waiting on their releases. Rutgers is running out of time before having to decide to grant the releases to Carter and Poole — today for Carter and Tuesday for Poole.
Moreover, Rutgers already has lost two formally committed recruits — Bronx product Shane Rector and junior college wing Chris Griffin. With just nine players on the current roster, granted Poole and Carter leave, it adds even more importance for Rutgers to complete the deal with Jordan quickly.