Carr Reportedly Out, Bird May Be In With Celtics

M.L. Carr coached the Boston Celtics to the worst record in their 51 seasons. Now his job appears done.

He is expected to give up one or both of his positions, coach and director of basketball operations, although General Manager Jan Volk said Monday no decisions have been made after a 15-67 season.

“That doesn’t mean discussions haven’t been undertaken,” Volk said. “Obviously, we’ve not been dealing in a vacuum.”

The Boston Globe reported that a decision already has been made for Carr to give up both jobs, with Larry Bird possibly replacing him in the front office. Bird is now a special assistant. The newspaper, citing sources, said Carr would retain an active role with the team, possibly in ownership. It did not indicate who might become coach.

“It’s been decided by whom?” Celtic President Red Auerbach said from his office in Washington. “There’s nothing I can even comment on until we meet.”

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Two days after a season that produced only 21 victories, the Denver Nuggets fired Coach Dick Motta and his assistants, Jim Brovelli, Gene Littles and Kip Motta.

“We’re trying to move forward in a new direction to give ourselves a fresh start,” said Allan Bristow, vice president of basketball operations.

Bristow said there was no leading contender for the coaching job, although it has been speculated that former Nugget forward Bill Hanzlik, an Atlanta Hawk assistant, is the likely choice.

Motta, 17-52 after taking over early in the season, had one year left on his contract.

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A group headed by Toronto Raptor General Manager Isiah Thomas has signed a letter of intent to buy majority ownership of the NBA team from broadcast magnate Allan Slaight. The sale is expected to close this summer. . . . Injured center Bill Wennington and seldom-used forward Dickey Simpkins will sit out the playoffs, the Chicago Bulls said. Wennington has been sidelined since March 31 after rupturing a tendon in his left foot. . . . Tony Smith of the Charlotte Hornets pleaded innocent to a charge of fourth-degree sexual assault stemming from an alleged incident in a Milwaukee tavern last October, and a jury trail was scheduled for July 1.