Messina To Coach with Lakers

Ettore Messina, who coached Mikhail Prokhorov's CSKA Moscow to four straight visits to the Euroleague Finals, winning twice, will not be joining the Nets. Instead, Messina will be moving to L.A. to be a "consultant to the head coach" Mike Brown, according to reports in the Italian and Russian media.

Messina left his job at Real Madrid, which paid him $3 million a season, earlier this year, leading to rumors that he would finally be joining the NBA coaching ranks.  His relationship to Prokhorov and new Nets director Sergei Kushchenko led to rumors that he could wind up as an assistant coach with the Nets.  Messina had said he'd need a year or two as an assistant before landing an NBA head coaching job.

• Lakers: Messina to Consult Brown - Eric Pincus - HoopsWorld