Jim O'Brien wasn't unemployed for long.

On Tuesday, the former head coach of the Boston Celtics was hired by the Philadelphia 76ers as their new head coach.

A press conference is scheduled for 3p.m. on Wednesday at the Wachovia Center to introduce O'Brien to the media.

O'Brien's contract is a multi-year deal believed to be worth at or more than $3 million a season.

O'Brien was 139-119 with the Celtics, which was his only NBA head coaching job until this one.

The Portland TrailBlazers are relieved that the 76ers didn't come after their coach Maurice Cheeks, who Portland denied Philadelphia to talk to last year.

"Now we can go about our business without further distraction," Blazers general manager John Nash said last night, adding that persistent speculation about Cheeks "was baseless because Philly never asked us about Maurice Cheeks."

Chris Ford, who became the team's interim head coach after Randy Ayers was fired on February 10, is interested in staying with the team and plans on to chat with 76ers president and general manager Billy King about that possibility.