Charlotte, N.C. ? Go ahead! Be a fool if you want to.

The fool is the individual cheering and shaking pom-poms, the one sold on the news that 76ers coach Maurice Cheeks has received a contract extension.

The fool is the one who believes this solidifies Cheeks’ status as coach of this franchise for years to come.

The fool is the one oblivious to Larry Brown’s presence, hoodwinked into believing Cheeks’ new dollars translate into added years on the contract, in the midst of Brown and team chairman Ed Snider’s getting reacquainted. All this, even though Brown could end up back where his heart truly lies:

In Tar Heels’ country. In the state of North Carolina.

“I don’t know about anything right now, and that includes Charlotte,” Brown told me on Tuesday, just hours after reports surfaced that Michael Jordan and the Charlotte Bobcats will have a new head coach next season in place of Bernie Bickerstaff. “No one has contacted me. I have no idea what to expect, and I really don’t care, at the moment, because I’m enjoying my life watching the game of basketball, being around a lot of the coaches and just getting my enthusiasm back.

“As far as Charlotte goes, everyone knows I have a very special relationship with Michael. I’ve known him for years. We’re family, and I love him. So saying ‘No’ to him would be almost impossible for me, just because it would be hard for me to say ‘No’ to him about anything. But I haven’t heard anything from him and I have no idea what my future holds.”

Give it time, L.B. Give it time. It won’t be long before Brown gets a phone call from Jordan. The public will be told there’s a short list of candidates. But there’s only one on that list. Because of Dean Smith, Roy Williams and the rest of that contingent from Brown’s alma mater – the University of North Carolina – the job will belong to Brown, if he wants it. That is where the plot thickens.

Contrary to what some may believe, Cheeks didn’t receive an extension as coach of the Sixers. Purportedly, he received a guarantee on the final year of a contract that would pay him $3 million next season.

So if you’re Ed Snider and you know Larry Brown, and you’re fully aware of the sensitive nature involving his return – as coach – of the Sixers, the last thing you want to do is create a situation where he’s returning as coach of this franchise at the expense of both Cheeks and president and general manager, Billy King, two men Brown practically has raised in the NBA fraternity.

“I’m very grateful for the opportunity Mr. Snider gave me,” Brown said. “I’m loyal to both Billy (King) and Mo (Cheeks). And I can’t say enough about the job (Cheeks) has done in coaching this team and getting these guys to play the way they’ve played. I do not want (Cheeks’) job. I’m happy with the role I’m playing with the Sixers. Obviously, I’m not retired or anything like that, but I can honestly say that much.”

Good for Brown, but here’s what he can’t deny:

Money might not mean much to him, considering the $7 million he pocketed in his buyout with Detroit in the summer of 2005, and the $10 million he got in his first-and-only season with the Knicks, combined with the $18.5 million buyout he received in his highly contentious battle with Knicks boss James Dolan in the summer of 2006, amounting to $35.5 million accumulated in a 12-month span.

But, then, there’s Snider.

As much as Brown adores King and Cheeks, Snider is the one he owes.

Brown is the reason King is president of this franchise. He’s the reason Cheeks got the head coaching job in Portland, before he was qualified to get the job here in Philadelphia. But, since Brown has been welcomed back with open arms by Snider, after leaving the Sixers’ owner in the dust to go capture an NBA championship in Detroit, if ever there was a time when Brown’s loyalty would be put to the test, it could be in the very near future.

Cheeks got a guarantee on the final year of his deal because he’s a good soldier. He’s done a fantastic job with the young guys under tumultuous circumstances and has proved he’s worthy of an extra $3 million – from billionaires.

But Brown is the coach with more than 1,000 career wins. The one with Hall of Fame credentials. The one starving to resurrect a legacy put on momentary hold, before being fed again by a very generous owner.

Still doubting the possibilities? You’re not a fool, are you?