A white suit?

Yeaa if we’re going that route, might as well go all the way and hire Craig Sager. I like his hairpiece better.

What this tells you is that coaches are attracted to a franchise where 1) there is a megarich owner, 2) there is both cap space and draft picks to do a quick turnaround, 3) there is a solid young core and 4) there is an opportunity to wipe the slate clean for both the team and yourself.

That suit is awesome. He should get the job based on that picture alone.

So Pitino wrote a formal letter, but didn’t get a response.

Rod should stick with his previous line, that “there isn’t any list” but that he has some ideas in his head about who would be a good coach.

The way this is written, it looks like Thorn is belittling Pitino.

when are they firing Kiki?

Rod doesn’t seem to have much knowledge of anything that is going on these days. He needs someone standing beside him at press conferences whispering in his ear, “we are doing the best we can” a la Nancy Reagan.

Hey, Maybe he was contacted by the Nets (read Kiki), but Thorn just didn’t know about it. Isn’t it how it goes around here these days?

@Ispartan: Funny 80’s reference!

@ Dolla:
Dayum right that suit rocks! Pitino’s UK reunion in Boston didn’t work out but his track record (PC, Knicks, UK, LU) has been good-to-great everywhere else. I liked Del Harris too so if neither could even get a sniff, Thorn must have a HOF coach on his short lost. Well, he better b/c JVG (the original L-Frank) ain’t gonna cut it.

Better keep the wifey home, Tim Walsh.

Pitino would be great! Anyone please.. For Godsake get a coach in here. Go back to the Seventies Kiki!!

Is Thorn the guy on outside looking in? Seems he is in the dark on most things concerning the team these days. The Del Harris situation. Now. The Pitino reports. Oh and cdr said he had spoken to Rod and Kiki promptly benches him. Seems like major power struggle and maybe Kiki got the GM nod from Proky and Rod being shown the door.

@ryan, Iannazzone’s report this morning suggests it’s Thorn and Prkhorov wining and dining in Dallas this weekend, not Kiki. So unless the Russian poisons Thorn’s vodka, I’m assuming Rod is in the cat bird seat.

@the burgerking….

Kiki is actually from the 80s…

honestly i think the nets are one of those teams that GM’s would have a wet dream about. there’s plenty of cap space, a huge FA market, unlimited funds, a ton of assets to use in trades or whatnot and the possibility of the top pick next year.

The fact that Pitino wants to leave L’Ville also tells you he knows he can’t recruit anymore, Kentucky and UNC are taking ALL the good high school players. Even Memphis is doing better than L’Ville. They are a bubble team this year while Caracter is destroying all comers for UTEP. White suit = white flag for Bambino Pitino!

that is an ugly suit…

I know 80’s, but the turtle neck and sports coat look is questionable for a head coach. Maybe if he were an Ivy league professor, or maybe going to an art gallery opening… He needs to go nonetheless.

hopefully if he’s hired he can make twill play like he did in college.

Everything will change after this weekend. it gives them 3 days until the deadline to make things happen. I think they will get it done. or then again maybe not

This is the last straw!!!! The Nets are going to pass on Rick Pitino?!!

They should be HONORED that a man of his abilities wants anything to do with this hideous joke of a professional franchise right now and make him an offer immediately.

There is a good chance that this legend wants to end his coaching career in NBA and you better believe he is going to do everything he possibly can to make it a success.

This would be ANOTHER HUGE MISTAKE by this organization.

“that is an ugly suit”

This is worn tongue and cheek for the “white out” game in Louisville when all the fans are adorned in white – not sure why this particular photo was chosen but that is why he is wearing it.

“ESPN NCAAB – Pat Forde ESPN.com: Louisville coach Rick Pitino said he has “no interest” in Nets coaching job."

at Wali:

Forde probably reporting that because Pitino was told by Thorn they weren’t interested – which would be a TRAVESTY. Forde co-authored Pitino’s last book, they are close.

@ wali:
i saw it 2

@Wali:
any link?

This all sounds like mincing words. Obviously Pitino hasn’t contacted the Nets. The story says that it was an “intermediate”, so technically everyone is telling the truth and everyone is deceiving at the same time.

As I said, Thorn should stick with his original line, that “there is no list” and not go further.

Is Kiwi Kiki Yiki done shoveling the parking lot yet? If so, send him to the Thorn household. Rod’s car is stuck.

Hollah!

according to espn, Pitino said that the reports “did not have an ounce of truth of to them” and that “professional coaching is behind him”

Pitinos staying in college, and i wouldnt even want him. id like callapari of kyezwksidi(or however you spell it)

He coaches the celtics some years ago right? Get jeff or the little general just not him please!

Based on the last run with the Celtics, no thanks. You know that he would stay a couple years until things cooled down and he could go back to a top tier college.

Woj on Twitter: The Pitino story in NYDN is accurate. He’s been working back channels to Russian owner and management.for weeks. They know he wants job.

his Twitter account for your own verification http://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA

well there you have it – WOJ knows. Forde is Rick’s buddy is covering up because the blundering idiotic Nets probably are going to screw this up too.

So Thorn didn’t know about Pitino??

He has the Terrence Williams connnection!

@Isaac
You need to relax. Let the new owner take over, figure out the front office, and then decide on the coach. Pitino would be a good choice, but so would Jeff Van Gundy or someone like Adelman. You need to let this play out.

guys…. the only way for change is if we unite together….. whoever is going to net games…PLEASE WEAR the PAPER BAGS… its a great idea and you’ll def get on TV LOL

at pawley:

agreed JVG and Adelman ar both nice choices. However, Rick Pitino would by far and away be my first choice and from these reports – especially Forde’s denial it sounds like they have told him “no thanks”. Therefore, I will not relax.

Can we just hire the suit and not the man? That would satisfy me. (Can anyone even imagine Kiki in that suit?)

Wait a minute. Pitino gave ringing endorsement for Terrence Williams. That in itself should rule out Pitino for the job.

But! the other way to look at it is: if Pitino can make TWill look good, image what he can for the others.

Pitino? No thanks. Snake Oil salesman.

I still think that Fratello is the best candidate of the names being listed. The guy got a lot out of mediocre Cleveland teams back in the day, and get guys to play defense. Plus he knows the Nets roster as well as anyone in the league.

Rick Pitino is one of the 5 greatest college coaches to come along in the last 30 years. He had a couple of successful years with the Knicks too before making the huge mistake of taking on more than he needed to during his time in Boston.

It is clear this man can coach – and for those of you pro-Brooklyn posters, this is exactly what the Nets would need to help market themselves in NYC. The team isn’t going to sell itself. Nobody outside of Brooklyn would care about their arrival and even many in BK will remain Knicks fans.

Pitino CAN SELL this team to NYC and would do a heck of a job coaching it too. This is the guy the nets should be chasing after, not the other way around.

I am now convinced Isaac IS Rick Pitino. Nice suit, Rick. :-)

On another level, this is bad for Thorn. We now have Woj and Kerber reporting Pitino went around Thorn (his friend) to Prokhorov to lobby for the job…without Thorn finding out. Shouldn’t someone in the Prokhorov camp informed Thorn if indeed they respect him enough?

By the way, Mikhail Prokhorov didn’t get to be one of the richest men in the world by being a pussycat. Ratner’s management style was described to me as “non-confrontational”. I bet that’s not the case with Prokhorov.

What a mess.

I would think if Pitino is available, Nets management, whoever that may be, will seriously consider him. They would not be doing their job otherwise.

It sounds like Thorn might be losing his edge. It happens to everyone, especially with age.

Or maybe Thorn knows more then we think, and is laying his trap, and waiting…

@ Mike,

I’m inclined to believe it’s the latter. A good poker players never reveals his hand.

On a lighter note, wouldn’t it be hysterical if Dallas did not make the playoffs this year, and somehow we got the #1 pick in the lottery, using their draft pick.

Far fetched but not impossible…

How is Thorn “losing his edge” obviously there’s a conspiracy going on right now. Recently a lot of things have been happening behind Thorns back and report after report states Thorn was not aware of the situation. This is getting ridiculous now how many more things are going to happen without Thorn being aware about it. Geesh man why don’t Proky just fire everybody and coach\manage this team on his own who needs staff when you have billions of dollars. Matter of fact Fire everybody but Thorn him and Proky can run this team together.

Didnt Billups get traded from boston to the Raptors in his rookie year while Pitino was coaching there?

I like Pitino as a college coach but I dont want him here. JVG would be my first choice. Avery, Jackson, Karl, and even the guy from Europe, then maybe Pitino. I would rather Coach K, but I doubt he leaves Duke.

I thought other then the Celtics he did a wonderful job on all his other landing. I don’t know if the Nets are made to shoot 3’s and pressing D. Overall he isn’t a bad choice.

I think better to fire Thorn and hire Bryon Scott.

@Mike
Thought has occurred to me: it’s May 18 and the last two cards have Nets’ logos on them.

“losing his edge”?? I thought he included that in the VC deal.

YES! Pitino would be a GREAT choice.

Rollie Massamini Part-2.

He was in the NBA. Didn’t make it. What’s the point?

Who cares!!!!! Such a non story..

at deihard nffl:

“YES! Pitino would be a GREAT choice.”

See – now we do agree on a coach.

at SIC:

“Didnt Billups get traded from boston to the Raptors in his rookie year while Pitino was coaching there?”

Yes – and like I said before we want Pitino the COACH not Pitino the GM. I think Rick is well aware that if he comes back to the NBA he needs to concentrate on one thing at a time so thinks don’t unravel on him like they did in Boston.

As for Billups, that trade to get a Kenny Anderson was a huge mistake but Billups was also quickly discarded by the Raptors, Nuggets, Magic AND Wolves before finally becoming a star in Detroit so obviously something was wrong.

I am excited whoever the next coach is. Splash Proky, Splash…

NOT a Pitino Fan. Any coach who bench Yi is my Guy…

I am hoping this means that Thorn’s days with the Nets are soon to be over. Everbody associated with this current team needs to go. Thorn, Kiki, Yorkmark, the players, the assistants, the trainers, everybody. I’ll make an exception for Brook, but that’s it – everybody else needs to fired or traded to get rid of the stink of this season.

The most intersting thing in any of these stories, BTW, is the statement in Kerber’s story that Calipari’s name has come up to be the next Nets coach in some circles.

I don’t think Proky would be too impressed with any college coach. Just not well known outside the USA.

If Nets received the #3/#4 draft pick (and Turner was already taken), then Calipari might be inclined to want to take The Beast of the draft – DeMarcus Cousins (who he could handle).

Proky does probably remember watching Avery Johnson coach during the 2006 Playoffs vs. Miami. Johnson has a .735 winning percentage as coach (194W-70L).

Pitino + Yi + Wall= NBA Champions!!!

I’ll take ANYONE. L Frank, Byron Scott, Dr J, Jayson Willians, ANYONE

For all you conspiracy theorists…….Lebron has become really close with both John Wall and Calipari. If the Nets go the college route expect to see them go after Calipari and hope he can persuade Lebron to sign up.

And that Dallas pick could very easily end up in the lottery. Especially if Houston ends up getting butler for tmac. I watch the west games and standings daily now

Not sure why anyone would have a wet dream over the prospects of Pitino coaching the Nets. Without even going into the terrible decisions he made as a GM (5 Kentucky guys on one roster, trading Billups, etc.), I do not see why overspending (successful college coaches always cost more to pry away) on him is a wise move. There are much better options out there with actual NBA success (ie: someone mentioned Jeff Van Gundy) who could actually teach this team how to play defense. Imagine that.

Pitino himself stated that he was a terrible coach at the professional level(Source: http://proxy.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/030220 ).

at Adam:

Consider the source: Simmons is a diehard biased Boston fan and he hates Pitino.

Pitino admits he took on too much with the Celtics, he essentially kicked Red Auerbach out of his office!

This time around he has a mission – to prove he can succeed in the pros and he will if given the chance.

The Boston reign was a disaster from the day he lost out on Duncan. He has been great every other place he has been including a soliud run with the Knicks.

Again – calling all Brooklyn lovers: Pitino could make this team a success in NYC.

Isaac-

What I cite from that article is Pitino saying himself that he is not interested in coaching in the NBA because he is not a good professional coach. His own words. Now 2 years later, he believes he can be a good NBA coach?

remember back to his NBA days. He had 2 years with the Knicks, with only one winning season there, 22 years ago. The NBA has changed greatly since Pitino had any level of success in the NBA.

His Celtic teams were plain garbage to watch. They played no defense of any kind. He focused on players’ athleticism over their basketball abilities.

No body has been able to explain why the Nets should offer Pitino an expensive contract over any other coach, especially ones with substantial NBA success.

well no offense to Pitino, Issac but
anyone can make this team a success ….. anyone !!!

For what it’s worth, Pitino not being interested in the Nets has been ALL OVER espn… Rome is Burning, Around the Horn, PTI, and the ticker on the bottom have all been going crazy over this. They all seem to be saying no way he’s going to the Nets.

at Adam and JB:

guys – Woj doesn’t put himself out on the line like this unless he has factual info. He says Rick has beenr eaching out to the Nets and it got leaked out. He was interested in the Sacramento job last season. His time is about up at Louisville and he wants to give the NBA one more shot.

Yes he has admitted in the past Boston was a total failure, that was even a focal point in his last book. However, if you think he doesn’t have confidence in himself to think he can do a much better job with another chance, you haven’t followed any of his career.

This would be a brilliant move for the Nets, their 1st since acquiring Jason Kidd.

pitino does not want to come here.

@ jerry25 – I didn’t know they carried the 2006 NBA Finals on TV in Russia.