by Sam Amick, USA TODAY Sports

LOS ANGELES — When the phone finally stopped ringing Saturday, Hall of Fame coach Jerry Sloan couldn’t have been happier to return his quiet existence in his Utah home.

The Los Angeles Lakers may not have called about their coaching vacancy for which he was believed to be considered, but so many others who wondered if he would be the replacement for Mike Brown after he was fired on Friday certainly had. And with all signs pointing to a possible Phil Jackson return, Sloan added himself to the list of people who think that’s the hire that makes the most sense.

“I think that’s probably a good choice for them,” Sloan told USA TODAY Sports by phone. “It doesn’t matter what I think, but he would certainly know what’s going on there. If somebody else comes in and sees what’s going on, it might shock them to death.”

The Lakers’ 1-4 start clearly had a shocking effect on Lakers management, and the decision was made to part ways with Brown after the early incarnation of this Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Steve Nash-led team was far from impressive. Yet despite Sloan being considered a candidate for the job, he said the Lakers had not yet reached out to him.

“I haven’t talked to anybody (from the Lakers),” Sloan said. “That’s what’s interesting is that I didn’t talk to anybody because it looks like I’m just trying to take every job that comes up and I don’t like that. So I’ll just keep out of it.”

Sloan, who retired so abruptly in Feb. of 2011 after a 23-year run with the Jazz, has grown tired of the perception that he’s desperate for a job. While he has expressed a desire to coach again, Sloan – who discussed coaching vacancies with Charlotte and Portland last summer – would prefer to lay low and let opportunities come his way.

“My name gets thrown in there, and it’s because of convenience sometimes,” he said. “But I’ve never been that kind of person to campaign for a job. I wasn’t going to call (the Lakers) because there wasn’t anybody calling to ask … [For more on Jerry Sloan hasn't talked to Lakers, says Phil Jackson best fit, click here.]