Flip

from espn:

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Flip Saunders has an offer to be the head coach of the Washington Wizards next season but has yet to return it, according to ESPN's Ric Bucher and a number of other published reports.

To Be Flip
Entering Monday night's games, Flip Saunders is the seventh-most successful head coach in NBA history with at least 900 games under his belt.

Coach W-L Pct.
Phil Jackson 1,040-435 .705
Gregg Popovich 684-330 .675
Red Auerbach 938-479 .662
Pat Riley 1,210-694 .636
Rick Adelman 859-536 .616
Jerry Sloan 1,136-750 .602
Flip Saunders 587-396 .597

Should he sign and return the offer, Saunders could be named as the team's head coach later this week or early next week. The NBA regular season ends on Wednesday.

Yahoo! Sports reported Monday Saunders has told associates he'd accepted the job. The deal is reported for close to $19 million over four years.

Ed Tapscott, the Wizards' interim head coach, could return to the team's front office, according to reports. Responding to reports that Saunders would take his job, he said before Monday's game: "It's just best that I not comment on that. For me, it's just a matter of focusing on finishing the season as strongly as possible."

Saunders, 54, has had success in both Minnesota and Detroit. He reached the playoffs eight times with the Timberwolves and three times with Detroit (where he lost in the NBA Eastern Conference finals each time).

He was fired last June after the Pistons lost to the eventual champion Boston Celtics.

Monday, the Washington Post reported that Sam Cassell could be an assistant coach for Saunders.

The Wizards have the second-worst record in the NBA this season -- 19-62, heading into Wednesday's season finale.