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Arizona’s Sean Miller will not coach Saturday night

Xavier v Arizona

SAN JOSE, CA - MARCH 23: Head coach Sean Miller of the Arizona Wildcats reacts against the Xavier Musketeers during the 2017 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament West Regional at SAP Center on March 23, 2017 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

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Arizona head coach Sean Miller is not expected to be on the sidelines coaching for Arizona on Saturday night as they play at Oregon.

Miller was reportedly caught on a wiretap discussing a $100,000 payment to secure the services of potential No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton. The conversations that were intercepted were between Miller and Christian Dawkins, a former runner for ex-NBA agent Andy Miller. According to ESPN, when asked by Dawkins if he should work through former Arizona assistant coach Emanuel ‘Book’ Richardson to finalize a deal, “Miller told Dawkins he should deal directly with him when it came to money.”

“I believe it is in the best interest of our team that I not coach the game tonight,” Miller said in a statement. “I continue to fully support the University’s efforts to fully investigate this matter and am confident that I will be vindicated. For now, my thoughts are with our team. They are a great group of young men that will support each other and continue their pursuit of winning a Pac-12 championship.”

Ayton will be eligible to play tonight.

Arizona is already playing without Allonzo Trier, who tested positive for a PED for for the second time in his career. He was suspended prior to Thursday night’s game at Oregon State.

Richardson was fired by Arizona after he was caught up in the original FBI complaints in September. He had worked for Miller for 10 years at Xavier and Arizona. He was alleged to have accepted $20,000 in bribes to steer players to Dawkins and another financial advisor.

Ayton committed to Arizona in September of 2016. He is currently averaging 19.6 points and 10.9 boards for No. 14 Arizona and is considered by many to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.

Miller denied any knowledge of a scheme to pay recruits to enroll at Arizona in October.

There has been speculation all season long that Arizona’s ties to this investigation could cost Miller his job.