Coaches with Nets pedigree — including David Vanterpool and Steve Clifford — get interviews

A number of coaches with Nets pedigrees — including assistant coach David Vanterpool current consultant Steve Clifford —are getting interviews for open head coaching gigs around the NBA.

Brian Lewis reports that Steve Clifford who worked this year with Steve Nash had his interview with the Kings in Sacramento Sunday. He was among several assistants and others familiar with Nets fans who’ve been or will be on the interview circuit.

Later Wednesday, there were reports that Vanterpool is also a candidate for the opening in Charlotte and that Nets have granted the Hornets the right to interview him.

There are others including:

—Former Nets head coach and now a Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson is a candidate for both the Kings and Hornets job;

—Former Nash assistant and mentor Mike D’antoni, is also believed to be a candidate for both the Hornets and Kings’

—Former YES Network broadcaster Marc Jackson is reportedly a leading candidate along with Clifford and Atkinson for the Kings job;

—Former Nets assistant Sean Sweeney who followed Jason Kidd from Brooklyn to Milwaukee to Dallas is on the Hornets short list.

In addition to the Hornets and Kings jobs, the Lakers head coaching position is also open.

Nash said at season’s end that he’s always aware that he could lose assistants. Last season, the Nets had eight assistant coaches and two consultants, Clifford and Kyle Korver, as well as Amar’e Stoudemire who’s listed as Player Development Assistant and Logan MacPhail, director of coaching analytics.

“Yeah I loved doing this and love these guys, love my staff, love all the departments,” Nash said. “Really have a great working environment, really enjoyed it and want to continue doing it.”

Two of Nash’s assistants have been in the mix for head coaching jobs in the recent past: David Vanterpool who’s had multiple opportunities over the years and lead assistant Jacque Vaughn. Among the others seated next to and in back of Nash who are mentioned as candidates for a big job down the line are Royal Ivey and Jordan Ott.

Of course, last year, the Nets lost Ime Udoka to Boston where he’s taken the Celtics to the second round vs. the Bucks after sweeping Brooklyn, and D’Antoni, who was initially described as retired but wound up in New Orleans as a “coaching advisor.”

There seems little doubt now that Nash will return. He is entering the third year of a four-year deal and has repeatedly been praised by Kevin Durant as having done a good — or even “perfect” — job considering the chaos around him.

• Nets consultant Steve Clifford in mix for Kings’ head-coaching job - Brian Lewis - New York Post