Woj: Nets' Coaching Search Is All About JVG
Adrian Wojnarowski talks about the Nets' future with Larry Biel of Yahoo! Sports. While much of what he says is ground that's been gone over, Woj contends the Nets have only one target in their coaching search: Jeff Van Gundy. "Their No. 1 target is Jeff Van Gundy," says Woj, "and they have a great chance of landing [him]. Everyone else is a distant No. 2."
He reiterates that Mikhail Prohkhorov will extend Rod Thorn and brings in a Russian from CSKA Moscow to be an "assistant GM". He adds that the Nets have an advantage in recruiting LeBron James: Jay-Z: "Don't underestimate that relationship." More likely, he tells Biel, is LBJ re-signs a short-term deal with Cleveland.
The Nets biggest advantage he claims will be Prokhorov himself. "He's not like Mark Cuban...Players are going to be attracted to coming to play for him. He's going to party with players, chase women with them, players going to identify with him" leading to an "immense impact" almost immediately. One free agent who's unlikely to be attracted to Prokhorov: Dwyane Wade. ESPN's writers say chances of DWade landing in NJ are between 0 and 1%.
- Net Worth (Video) - Larry Biel - Yahoo! Sports
- Coaches' Hot Seat (Video) - Larry Biel - Yahoo! Sports
- Mike Krzyzewski might have reason to listen to NBA offer - Brian Windhorst - Cleveland Plain-Dealer
- Free Agency Dime: Dwyane Wade - Marc Stein, Henry Abbott & Chris Sheridan - ESPN
- Will LeBron James stay with the Cleveland Cavaliers? It's quite possible, as those close to him send out positive vibes - Brian Windhorst - Cleveland Plain-Dealer
55 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I really don’t get whats so special about JVG that separates him from the other candidates (and why Fratello is never mentioned)
totally agree. Avery sounds just as viable but I’m afraid the lure of CP3 will take him to New Orleans
I will pile on
I also see no reason to chase JVG – retread, wrong style, not a proven winner if you ask me in fact hasn’t he walked away in the past.
I actually think CP3 could be a problem for Avery. A superstar PG who runs the team negates some of Avery’s talents and clashes with his management style. Avery will work better with Collison I think.
Don't know what ESPN's deal is
but I think the Nets are fairly high on Wade’s list. I’m sorry but every time he’s interviewed, he calls the Nets a class organization committed to winning. I’m not sure how many other free agents would say that about the Nets, especially after this season.
Noooooooo
Van Gundy had a lot to do with the Knicks downfall. He worked against his GM after Oakley was traded for Camby. It was reported that he nixed a potential trade of Childs for Andre Miller. He wouldn’t play Camby. The team underachiever until the GM was fired. Later, when it was obvious that the team was no longer a playoff team, he quit. In Houston, Adelman has been a much better coach.
by ispartan on Apr 10, 2010 4:49 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Thorn is a moron
Why is JVG our 1st choice???? He’s not a coach for a rebuilding team full of youngsters who are still developing. I know Thorn has always been in love with JVG, but this makes no sense at all.
Thorn is an INCREDIBLE moron
He would bring back Stefanski and Frank if he could. I can’t wait to see how we screw up the draft with Kiki gone.
by calling all toasters on Apr 10, 2010 6:22 PM EDT up reply actions
What's so great about Kiki?
He has had 4 draft picks in 2 years, none higher then 10th, all we got to show for it is:
Brook Lopez
T-Will
RA/LEE
CDR
We woulda done better with the next guy on the list
Then we could have picked Gerald Henderson, Jerryd Bayless, Kosta Koufos (who?), and Nathan Jawai (?) instead! I’m sure old Thornie is ticked about those missed “opportunities.”
by calling all toasters on Apr 10, 2010 6:44 PM EDT up reply actions
That's what scares me about his next pick...
But there is now way you can screw up this years draft… Can you?
The first pick probably not
but the rest of our picks yeah. And if a lot of players end up coming out because of the possible lock out he could definitely end up royally screwing up the rest of them. Since there could be a lot of trading to moving up and/or buying lottery pick possibilities. And Thorn really isn’t the one I want picking the players to move up for or to draft if we buy into the lottery.
in billionaire russian playboys we trust.
Oh, we can screw up the first pick, too
Someone picked 1-4 will be a disappointment, and the Nets have an uncanny ability to find that man. But I won’t know who the underachiever is until Thorn taps him.
by calling all toasters on Apr 10, 2010 7:02 PM EDT up reply actions
ugh I really hope Kiki is around if Prokhy isnt going to do wide sweeping changes
to the front office. Keeping thorn and firing kiki seems like the worst possible thing.
in billionaire russian playboys we trust.
My heart weeps for Kiki..
…he doesn’t seem to be part of the long-term plan.
Boo Hoo.
NOT!
HOLLAH!!!!!!
Bring the guy in from CSKA Moscow to be an "assistant GM".
Who is the G.M. that this guy is going assist? Kiki? Hope so.
I'm not big on Avery or JVG
FRATELLO! FRATELLO! FRATELLO!
I agree, I think the Czar would be a very good choice but it doesnt seem likely as I havent seen him linked to the job once in any rumours
by jackbauerwillsmashurface on Apr 10, 2010 5:59 PM EDT up reply actions
WHAT IS THE OBSESSION WITH JVG??!?!
Fratello or Avery for me.
" I'm really excited to take the worst team in the league and turn it to be the best in the league." --Mikhail Prokhorov.
Maybe we could call the team the Brooklyn Knicks
And call the arena Barclay’s Square Garden.
Of course, winning is what actually draws in the fans….
by calling all toasters on Apr 10, 2010 6:23 PM EDT up reply actions
should we....
start the Fratello chants? Net income help us out!!!
Your asking for trouble Universal...
Don’t you know by now that this is a Wall/Turner website, from top to bottom.
You sure are brave…
Why JVG of all possibilities?
If they’re going to go with a “retread” coach instead of someone knew at least go with someone who’s had some recent success?
in billionaire russian playboys we trust.
avery maybe
he was fairly successful in his first coaching chance. fratello, a european guy. I’m just never a fan of getting guys who have been through multiple franchises without being highly successful. I’d much rather go with an unknown or some young guys or someone like Avery who’s really only had one coaching shot and was pretty successful considering the learning curve.
in billionaire russian playboys we trust.
I mean I certainly don't think JVG's a bad choice or coach
and we could do a lot worse. It just seems uninspired.
in billionaire russian playboys we trust.
Yeah, I thought this was going to be the "bold new age"...
JVG may be many things but “new age” he ain’t…
JVG runs a slowed down team
His teams revolve around the center (Ewing, Yao). The rules on handchecking appeal to athletic play which he stagnates. I’d rather have Avaery as well.
Coaches and championships
From 1949 to 2009 there were 61 NBA championships. Ten were won by teams coached by Phil Jackson, 9 by Red Auerbach, 5 by Pat Riley, 5 by John Kundla (Minneapolis Lakers), 4 by Gregg Popovich, and 6 by guys who coached the Celtics and had played under Auerbach for most/all of their careers. That’s 39 out of 61, by 5 coaches plus the students of one. That leaves 22 for all the hundreds of other coaches, including Lenny Wilkens, Chuck Daly, Nellie, Jack Ramsey, Red Holzman, JVG, Don Nelson, Lawrence Frank, and whoever else you can think of. If we want to win a couple of championships, we have to get THE BEST coach.
Anyone think JVG is the even potentially the best coach in basketball? I’m talking to YOU, Proky!
by calling all toasters on Apr 10, 2010 7:12 PM EDT reply actions
"Sorry guys, I'm busy jet sking and picking up babes"...
“Leave a message on my answering service and I will have one of my associates get in touch”.
I love the U.S.A.
Hmm, which of the "best" are available?
Riley’s done, Phil and Pop seem content with where they are. I know! Red’s not currently employed!
by madisonmetsfan on Apr 10, 2010 9:43 PM EDT up reply actions
Well, since you asked
I think we were on the right track with Coach K, although that looks like a fake-out now. Rick Adelman has generally gone farther with his teams than you would expect from the talent. He might be #2 in the pros after Action Jackson.
by calling all toasters on Apr 10, 2010 10:16 PM EDT up reply actions
oops
I mean Adelman might be #3 after Pop and Jackson.
by calling all toasters on Apr 10, 2010 10:20 PM EDT up reply actions
The Rockets got out of the first round more recently than the Spurs with FAR LESS talent. Adelman >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Popovich.
by diehardNFFLbarnone on Apr 10, 2010 10:49 PM EDT reply actions
Absolutely not.
To say one coach is better than another based on winning one playoff series when the other lost is ludicrous. Pop is revered because he acquires players with the correct intangibles to succeed and because his players consistently play elite team defense, and that is why he has won 4 championships. Plus, Manu was injured during that series. You put WAY too much stock into recent performance and don’t look at the big picture when evaluating a coach, like when you said that Scott Brooks, who has had one impressive season, is a better coach than Phil Jackson, who has won 10 rings in two decades.
The Legend
Oh, and I think the Nets are putting too much emphasis on getting a big-name coach. IMO, there are usually about 5 great coaches at a given time who can actually lift a team to contender status, 5 incompetent coaches, and just about 20 average coaches. Unfortunately, none of those legendary coaches are available for hire, which is what made the Coach K rumor so intriguing. Maybe JVG or Avery are the guy, but I would be very disappointed if the Nets didn’t at least look into some of the smaller name assistants with something to prove solely because the organization wanted to make a splash with a big name,
The Legend
The Rockets having far less talent is a major fallacy
they have far fewer players who fill up boxscores with traditional stats. But their owner has poured massive sums of money into research to learn to evaluate players without looking at just traditional stats, so they can see which players are undervalued and can be acquired cheaply because of it rather than having to try to outbid other teams for big names. They’re like the Oakland A’s(circa the late 90s) of the NBA. They’re not actually winning with lesser talent, they’ve just come up with new ways to evaluate talent that the media/box scores haven’t kept up with. If you ever read up on them you’ll see a ton of quotes about how they think most traditional stats are completely useless and give you little to no information about a players usefulness on a team.
in billionaire russian playboys we trust.
Looking at the big picture when evaluating a coach is almost useless because some players will always change teams every season and that can drastically change the perception of a coach (the most drastic example of this is Mo Williams to the Cavs).
by diehardNFFLbarnone on Apr 11, 2010 7:13 PM EDT reply actions
Coaches who get the most out of their team year in and year out, regardless of personnel changes, should be regarded as the best coaches. That’s the big picture and I really don’t understand how you can argue that the big picture is almost useless when evaluating a coach. If you only looked at recent results when evaluating a coach, then Lawrence Frank would have been heralded as the greatest coach ever after winning his first 14 games and likewise would be regarded as the worst coach of all time after going 0-16 this season, neither of which are close to the truth.
The Legend
This was a wack season when it came to offseason moves and team chemistry and success (I think the two best offseason moves were Zach Randolph to the Grizzlies for Quentin Richardson (who would have ever thought that was possible!) and the Cavs signing Anthony Parker).
by diehardNFFLbarnone on Apr 14, 2010 6:42 PM EDT reply actions

by 










