When Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie set the guidelines for his team's third offseason coaching search in the past four summers, he made it clear that his approach would be deliberate and patient.

And despite a potential opportunity to land a man who fits Petrie's own parameters of a coach with "some level of success" as an NBA head coach, it appears the method will hold true and New Orleans coach Byron Scott will remain with the Hornets.

Scott, whose team's humbling five-game first-round series loss to Denver led to uncertainty about his future on the Bayou, is believed to be interested in filling the Kings' vacancy. But the Hornets on Thursday are expected to hold a news conference in which they will publicly support Scott and declare he will return for the final season of his contract (worth $5.5 million), meaning the Kings have only a short time to bring him their way. Yet according to numerous sources with knowledge of the situation, the Kings have not requested permission to speak with Scott and do not appear poised to do so.

While the logistics and timing involved are almost certain deal breakers, a source close to Scott said he has been intrigued by the prospect of a return to the team for which he was an assistant coach from 1998 to 2000. The inspiration was two-fold, from his fondness for the Sacramento area and the Kings organization to his questions about the Hornets' direction.

Scott spent five seasons as New Jersey's head coach and led the Nets to the NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003. He led the Hornets to the Western Conference semifinals in 2008 and was voted the Coach of the Year. If the Kings were motivated to pursue Scott, the appeal for Hornets owner George Shinn to negotiate a buyout would be the chance to save money during a financially challenging time for the organization.

Despite Scott being under contract with the Hornets, his status came into question after Shinn was asked by the New Orleans Times-Picayune immediately following the season whether Scott's job was safe for another year. Shinn responded by saying, "That's a loaded question … . Everyone will be analyzed and evaluated in the offseason."

A day later, Scott's agent, Brian McInerney, told the Times-Picayune that he had not heard from the organization about Scott's future and was unsure what lay ahead.

"I'm sure that they will get to him, and they'd probably think, 'Heck, the guy is guaranteed $5.5 million one way or the other, and so we shouldn't cry for him,' " McInerney told the newspaper. "But on the other hand, if there are options and if an owner doesn't really want the coach, then ownership has the right to say if they want to go in a different direction."

Petrie and Kings co-owner Joe Maloof did not return a call for comment, nor could McInerney be reached.

Meanwhile, the Kings' search has been slow, just as Petrie said it would be on April 23 when the team announced that interim coach Kenny Natt would not return.

While no interviews are known to have been scheduled, ex-Washington coach Eddie Jordan is still believed to be a top candidate along with former Phoenix and Seattle coach Paul Westphal.

A host of others are being considered, from Bernie Bickerstaff (Chicago assistant who spent 13-plus seasons as head coach of Seattle, Denver, Washington and Charlotte) to Lon Kruger (current UNLV coach and former Atlanta coach) to Dave Cowens (parts of six seasons with Boston, Charlotte and Golden State) and perhaps even Rick Pitino (current Louisville coach who coached six seasons in New York and Boston).

The Kings may soon have competition for Jordan, whose name has been connected to the Philadelphia 76ers should interim coach Tony DiLeo leave his post to return to the team's front office. Either way, it appears Scott will return to New Orleans.

Read the Kings blog at www.sacbee.com/kingsblog.