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Former Cavaliers coach George Karl says he'd love the challenge of being the team's president -- should owner Dan Gilbert decide to hire one.

(AP)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- George Karl has never met Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert, but if Gilbert is looking for a prominent NBA veteran with ties to Cleveland to head up his franchise as president, Karl would love to be on the short list.

The popular ESPN commentator, who has a 1,131-756 record -- and a 59.9 winning percentage -- in 25 NBA seasons, including two in Cleveland, has watched former coaching colleagues Phil Jackson and Flip Saunders become presidents of the New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves, respectively, and the possibility of following in their footsteps intrigues him.

"Being a leader, running a team and organizing a group with the common goal of winning a championship would be the ultimate challenge in my career,'' Karl said via email from Germany, where son Coby is playing.

Gilbert has not indicated whether he's interested in hiring a president. When asked about the possibility shortly after the Knicks hired Jackson in March, Gilbert said those sorts of decisions would be made after the season. Gilbert has not met with the media since firing general manager Chris Grant on Feb. 6 and replacing him with acting general manager David Griffin. At some point, Gilbert is expected to announce whether Griffin and coach Mike Brown will return.

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In the meantime, Karl's name often comes up in rumor mills and fan forums, especially in Cleveland. He admits he has missed the NBA after being fired by the Denver Nuggets last year -- one month after being named the NBA 2012-13 Coach of the Year.

"The year off has been enjoyable,'' Karl said, "but there is no question I have missed the gym, the games and being a part of a team and organization.''

A Pennsylvania native who will turn 63 on May 12, Karl played for Dean Smith at the University of North Carolina and then spent five seasons as a player with San Antonio in the ABA and NBA. After becoming a Spurs assistant coach and then a two-time CBA coach of the year in Montana, his first head coaching job in the NBA was with the Cavs in 1984-85. His first team started 0-9 and 2-19 but went 34-27 over the last four months, clinching a playoff spot with a 14-point victory over New Jersey on April 9, 1985 -- after which the players put Karl on their shoulders and carried him off the floor.

He was fired the next season after the Cavs started 25-42, one of three years in his 25 that his team didn't make the playoffs. He also coached in Golden State, Seattle and Milwaukee. His Seattle team made the NBA Finals in 1996, losing to the Chicago Bulls in six games.

Off the court, Karl battled prostate cancer in 2005 and neck and throat cancer in 2010, but he said he's healthy now.

"Feel great and would love to expand the challenge of putting an organization together and bringing a fun committed basketball team to Cleveland,'' Karl said.

Other potential candidates: Should Gilbert elect to hire a president, there will be no shortage of candidates. Former Cavs coach Mike Fratello, another popular broadcaster who has a 667-548 record -- a 54.9 winning percentage -- in 17 NBA seasons, with 11 postseason appearances, still lives in Cleveland and certainly would be interested. In a recent interview with The Plain Dealer, former Toronto and New York executive Isiah Thomas, who also coached in Indiana and New York after a Hall of Fame playing career with the Detroit Pistons, declined to answer whether he'd be interested in such a position or has talked to Gilbert about it. Gilbert was a longtime fan and business partner of the Pistons.