Todd Golden, Nate Oats, More Contract Buyout Info Surfaces Amid UNC HC Search After Firing Davis
As North Carolina scours the coaching market to find a replacement for Hubert Davis, some of the candidates on its list are locked into contracts with hefty buyouts.
CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein cited some of the coaching targets for the Tar Heels and their buyout info, including Florida's Todd Golden ($16 million), Alabama's Nate Oats ($11 million as of April 1) and Arizona's Tommy Lloyd ($11 million).
Even though Rothstein specifically listed Golden and Oats on his list, The Athletic's Brendan Marks reported neither one is expected to be in the mix for UNC due to their large buyouts and "off-court concerns."
Marks also cited the university's financial investment in Bill Belichick and the football program as a potential obstacle in making a big splash with the next basketball coach.
"Donors have already begun passing the hat for buyout money, according to sources close to the program, but there is skepticism even a program of UNC's prestige will be willing—and able—to pay a record buyout to land an elite coach," Marks wrote.
Lloyd and Billy Donovan were cited by Marks as the two "present priorities" for the Tar Heels. Lloyd's buyout with Arizona could be an obstacle.
Donovan signed a multiyear extension with the Chicago Bulls last summer, but Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times reported on Tuesday that there is "growing momentum" he could step down at the end of this season.
North Carolina announced on Tuesday that Davis had been fired after five seasons as head coach. His dismissal came after an 82-78 loss to VCU in the first round of the NCAA tournament in which the Tar Heels blew a 19-point lead.
This opens up the possibility for North Carolina to hire a coach who didn't previously play for the program or work as an assistant coach prior to getting the top job for the first time since Frank McGuire was hired in 1952.
Davis finished his Tar Heels tenure with a 125-54 record and one Final Four appearance in five seasons.
