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Lionel Hollins and Billy King are moving on to the next step in their partnership, deciding on who will join Hollins on the Nets bench. One name that is being rumored for the lead job: Paul Westphal, the veteran NBA head coach.
"Lionel and I, we talked today," King told Michael Kay and Don LaGreca on Thursday evening. "We're going to continue to talk as he tries to put together a staff. He has a bunch of candidates and he and I are going to sit down and try to develop a staff. We'll make the decision, then announce it."
The Nets coaching staff is already choosing sides. Sean Sweeney and Eric Hughes have already agreed to follow Jason Kidd to Milwaukee and he's trying to recruit the two most experienced assistants the Nets hired to help him last summer, John Welch and Joe Prunty. Prunty served as head coach the first two games of the season, losing to Cleveland but beating Miami while Kidd sat out a DUI suspension.
"I’ve been playing phone tag with Joe, and I’m just waiting for an answer from Welch," Kidd said Wednesday. "But that’s just to see if they want to come."
Peter Vecsey tweeted Wednesday that Hollins is "seriously considering" Westphal, the former head coach for the Suns, Sonics and Kings, as his lead assistant.
Billy King made it unanimous: now nobody in NBA takes my advice. Good news is, Hollins is seriously considering hiring Westphal as top aide
— Peter Vecsey (@PeterVecsey1) July 2, 2014
Thursday night, Vecsey tweeted that "odds are good, I'm told."
On Saturday, he added another name, one Memphis fans will recognize from Hollins days with the Grizzlies.
Henry Bibby, like Westphal, almost sure to join Hollins' staff. NY brings back Jax, '73 title member. BK does same w Bibby? I'd call it even
— Peter Vecsey (@PeterVecsey1) July 5, 2014
King has declined to discuss the status of Lawrence Frank, who Kidd "re-assigned" last December. King did say he had lunch with Frank two weeks ago, but would not discuss the subject of the meeting.
- Jason Kidd reaching out to Brooklyn Nets assistant coaches - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York