Marc Stein, reporting on coaching vacancies --now seven with Tuesday's firing of Vinny DelNegro-- says that the Grizzlies "remain determined" to sign Lionel Hollins after the playoffs. But if they wait too long, Mikhail Prokhorov be ready to pounce.
As of Monday, Phil Jackson is still the only coaching prospect Billy King has reached out. And Phil Jackson, in an interview with Dan Patrick, said that indeed the Nets did contact him about coaching, which he said he is "absolutely" done with.
Here's what one league source says about writers who think they know who the Nets next coach will be: "They are all speculating with no facts." Here's another: "It's still early." Indeed it is.
Dave D thinks its time for J-Kidd to hang them up, don a suit and take a seat on the bench, as an assistant coach for your Brooklyn Nets. Might be a nice way to pass the time between now and his enshrinement in Springfield.
The Nets are interested in Scott Skiles, writes a Bucks beat writer.Gary Woelfel, who says Skiles is on the Nets "short list" along with Lionel Hollins.Woelfel calls the interest surprising considering the Bucks record under Skiles.
Bob Raissman of the Daily News reports that P.J. Carlesimo, late of the Nets, will be joining ESPN soon to handle studio analysis for the rest of the NBA playoffs.
We look at what's going on with the coaching search, post some draft notes, peer into the future of commuting from Manhattan and New Jersey to Brooklyn, examine how the Nets are aggressively marketing the Islanders and review the Emory College thing.
Hollins spoke with Dan Patrick Friday about his contract situation and playing the Spurs in the Western Conference Finals. He said he expects to be back in Memphis, but word around the NBA is that he's not happy with Grizzlies ownership.
In a chat Thursday, Kevin Sherrington of the Dallas Morning News was asked if Brown would take the Nets job if offered (and there's no indication he has been.) Sherrington says he can't imagine Brown would turn it down.
Cross Doc Rivers off the list. Danny Ainge told reporters at the Chicago Draft Combine Thursday that Rivers isn't going anywhere. "Yeah (he'll be back), Doc and I are talking about our team next year,," said Ainge.
WXYZ in Detroit is reporting that the Pistons and "New Jersey Nets" have reached out to Brian Shaw. The report didn't define the contact with Shaw. whose Pacers are still in the playoffs and up 3-1 over the Knicks.
The Nets are in the midst of finding a new head coach, and one of the guys on their short list is Lionel Hollins of the Memphis Grizzlies. The question becomes, is he a good fit for the Brooklyn Nets and should they pursue him?
He has not said so directly, but Derrel Johnson of SNY Nets, picking through his recent comments, thinks Patrick Ewing would like a courtesy call from Billy King about the Nets coaching vacancy.
For the second time in less than a week, a major sports site lists the Nets coaching vacancy as the best out there. Last week it was Chris Broussard of ESPN, basing his ranking on an anonymous assistant coache's analysis. This time, it's Ben Golliver
In an interview with the Nets in-house beat writer Ben Couch, Billy King says the season exceeded expectations but he wants the next coach to be as tough-minded a the borough they play in.
No one is saying Lionel Hollins is on the Nets shortlist, at least officially, but he is a free agent and even if the Grizzlies want him back, would the Nets get into a bidding war if they wanted him as their head coach?
As of Saturday, says a Nets insider, Billy King "has not contacted anyone but Phil Jackson" for the team's coaching vacancy Research continues ... and even if they wanted move on some candidates, they can't. Some top candidates are under contract.
Brian Shaw isn't talking to the media and he won't be able to speak with the Nets until the playoffs are over, but two of the best young Pacers credit him for their development, Tim Bontemps reports from Miami.
Danny Ainge, speaking Thursday to sports radio in Boston, didn't directly address reports that the Nets (and Clippers) might be interested in Doc Rivers, but said he expects the Celtics coach will be back next season.
It seem unthinkable that the Grizzlies won't re-sign Lionel Hollins as coach. After all, Memphis is in the Western Conference semi-finals. But Hollins contract is up at season's end and Chris Broussard tweets that if they don't move, the Nets might.
There are increasing indications that neither Stan nor Jeff Van Gundy, once considered front runners for the Nets coaching job, will be called by Billy King. Chris Mannix, in an interview with an Orlando radio station, put the kibosh on any SVG talk.
In an interview early Thursday morning, Brett Yormark told ESPN's Jared Max that the Nets off-season marketing won't be much affected by whomever Billy King selects as coach. "We don't sell players or coaches."
Jerry Sloan admits to getting a couple of calls about a return to coaching, but the Salt Lake Tribune reports the Nets are not one of them. Stephen A. Smith told SNY Nets that he expects Billy King to make calls about Doc Rivers and Brian Shaw.
Phil Jackson said no to coaching the Nets and the Nets didn't discuss an executive position with him. But the Nets still need a coach and the question is who gets the next call from Billy King?
Tim Bontemps, Adrian Wojnarowski and David Aldridge (in that order) report that Phil Jackson has informed the Nets that he will not return to coaching The Nets were waiting on Jackson before proceeding with other coaching prospects.
In rounding up the usual suspects for the Nets' coaching search, Sam Amick lists a new candidate, Scott Skiles, the former Suns, Bulls and Bucks coach.
