Jerry Colangelo is considering contingency plans in case Mike Krzyzewski is unable to coach the United States in the Olympics this August for health reasons.
Gregg Popovich has already been announced as Krzyzewski's successor after the 2016 Olympics.
Krzyzewski recently spent two days in the heart wing of a Durham hospital.
"I'm always concerned about people I love, and I love Coach K," Colangelo told NBA TV. "You've heard my expression, 'We're joined at the hip and have been ever since we joined together back in '05.' I am concerned about his health. I told him on the phone (recently) nothing is more important than his health. Not Duke basketball. Not USA Basketball. I hope and I pray that he can take care of his situations, whatever they may be, and that he's healthy and ready to go."
"We're not at that stage at all," said Colangelo. "I do know that his intention is the day after his Duke season is over is to have his knee replaced. It's killing him right now. But that's just one facet of his health circumstances. We'll cross that bridge. Certainly in the back of my mind I'm thinking about what ifs. But it would be, I think, inappropriate and out of place to even discuss it."
Pressed if he has a plan in mind if Krzyzewski cannot coach in Rio, Colangelo said: "I think so. But, again, I think it's too early to get into that. As we get closer and it appears that there's a prospect that he may not be able to or chooses not to, that's a whole different story. But let's not be premature on that."