Marc J. Spears of the Denver Post reports that the Denver Nuggets are putting their search for a head coach on the back burner for now. With three picks in the upcoming draft (two in the first round), the Nuggets will set their sights on the draft instead.

"The main focus is the draft," Vandeweghe said. "It's not a mandatory thing to have a coach hired before the draft. It's nice to have it done, if possible."

The general consensus around the league is that a team doesn?t need a head coach during the draft. Having the coaching staff settled before the draft may be the ideal situation, but it isn?t necessary.

"I don't think it's that big of a deal," Wizards? General Manager Wes Unseld said about having a coach in place. "It's another sounding board. But there are guys out watching talent all year. Coaches don't have a chance to do that. They get on it this time of year. That's another opinion, but you got guys watching all year, and they have to help you make the choice."

"Your general manager and scouting staff are the key to the draft," Bulls? General Manager Jerry Krause said. "They know what's going on and they scouted all those players. You're relying on them. Getting the right guy is the important thing. It doesn't matter when you get (the coach). There is no law about when you hire. It's who you hire."

Event though the lack of a coach is not that much of a disadvantage during the draft, extending that absence into free agency would be a different story. On July 1st, teams can begin negotiations with free agents. On July 16th teams can begin signing free agents. Most free agents will want to know what kind of coach is in place before signing with a team.

"The players want to know who is going to be the coach," Orlando coach Doc Rivers said. "I think it is different than (the draft). When you're out recruiting, you need that coach to go up to that player and say, 'I will play you this way.' If you don't have that coach, then it becomes an issue."

Said Vandeweghe, "If you're going to pick, having a coach by free agency is more important."