The Journal Times Online - Racine, Wisconsin

BY GERY WOELFEL

Since the Milwaukee Bucks began looking for a new general manager three weeks ago, they've targeted John Hammond.

It now appears they may have secured his services.

Hammond, the Detroit Pistons' highly-regarded vice president of  basketball operations, has verbally agreed to take the Bucks' GM job. Hammond has yet to sign any documents to seal the deal, but that appears to be just a formality.

There have been national reports that Hammond could be officially hired by early next week. However, I have been told Hammond could be be working for the Bucks by as soon as Saturday..

Hammond didn't return a call Friday morning. Neither did Joe Dumars, the Pistons' president of basketball operations. Both were in a meeting late Friday morning.

 Ron Walter, the Bucks' vice president - alternate governor of the Bucks, couldn't be reached, either.

The Bucks have privately wanted to have a GM in place by the end of next week. While they coveted Hammond, they also interviewed former Seattle GM Rick Sund and front office executive David Griffin of the Phoenix  Suns.

They have also shown keen interest in Billy King, the former Philadelphia 76ers general manager. They also talked to Donnie Walsh, the former president of the Indiana Pacers who reently accepted a similar job with the New York Knicks.

Hammond told The Journal Times last week he would have some interest in the Bucks' GM position, which opened up when Larry Harris was relieved of his duties.

However, Hammond has had a close relationship with Dumars and was reluctant to give up what was a personally rewarding job. Hammond felt so comfortable in his job that in recent years he turned down GM openings in Toronto and Portland.

Hammond's first major assignment as Bucks general manager will be to determine the fate of Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak. It is unlikely Krystkowiak will be retained as the Bucks are headed to the draft lottery for the second straight year.

The scuttlebutt is the Bucks already have three potential head coaches on their radar screen: Larry Brown, Jeff Van Gundy and Rick Carlisle.

While Brown has impeccable coaching credentials, it is believed he is looking for a situation where he would have complete control over player personnel matters.  His name has also been linked to possible openings in Memphis and Chicago.

That is something, especially with the impending hiring of Hammond, wouldn't occur in Milwaukee.

Carlisle, who is a television basketball analyst, recently told The Journal Times that he wants to be an NBA head coach again. Carlisle also said he was extremely confident that would happen this summer

Carlisle had been a head coach for the Indiana Pacers and the Detroit Pistons.

Van Gu\ndy, like Carlisle, is also doing television work. Before that he was the head coach of the Houston Rockets and New York Knicks.

Two things that have piqued the interest of the Bucks in Van Gundy is that he has an outstanding reputation for getting his teams to play defense and that he has worked well with centers i.e. Patrick Ewing in New York and Yao Ming in Houston.

The Bucks have one of the best young centers in the game in Andrew Bogut and are likely to grant him a five-year contract extension in July.

* Hammond's soon-to-be hiring shouldn't have any impact on Dave Babcock, the Bucks' director of player personal. In fact, it is believed Babcock has been given a multi-year contract extension

There are also rumblings the Bucks could hire John Gabriel in some capacity. Gabriel,  the NBA's Executive of the Year in 1999 while the Orlando Magic's general manager,  is currently a scout and advisor for the Portland Trail Blazers.

While the Magic's GM, Gabriel engineered several major moves, acquiring stars Tracy McGrady and Grant Hill and hiring Glenn 'Doc' Rivers as coach.