A league official said that NBA Commissioner David Stern likely won't make his ruling on Larry Brown's bid to get $52 million from the New York Knicks until after the league's owners meetings Monday and Tuesday in Manhattan. Stern's ruling will be final.

As far as Brown goes, he's getting ready to spend his first season away from the game since 1971. Every year since then, he has held a head coaching job, whether in the old ABA, NBA or at the collegiate level.

"I'm sure that's going to be tough for him because he is used to coaching basketball," said Atlanta coach Mike Woodson, a former Brown assistant when Brown directed the Pistons to the 2004 championship. "Oh yes, he misses it. When you've done it as long as he's done it, it's got to be tough - it's got to wear on him a little bit. That's what he lives for and he's done a great job over his career as a coach. He was at our camp last week, spending time at our practice. I think he'll just spend the season visiting different coaches around the league that he knows and kind of lending a hand in that regard. He's more than welcome to come to our camp, and once the regular season starts, to stick his hand in any time he wants."

Maybe he's welcome in Atlanta, but definitely not in New York.

"He'll be back," Woodson said. "I think he'll rebound from this and someone will give him the opportunity to coach or maybe be a GM or run a team, and I think he has the expertise to do all of that. It's just a matter of time. I think this year, like I said, he'll spend it taking a year off and regrouping. And he'll bounce back. He's good for our league - I truly believe that."