Nets Notes: Jackson, King, Johnson
Within hours of Avery Johnson‘s dismissal as head coach, there was instantly speculation that the Nets would reach out to Phil Jackson about the vacancy. If they do, it won’t be the first time that the Nets have made a bid for the Hall of Fame coach. In the summer of 1999, the Nets offered Jackson what would have been the most lucrative deal in the NBA – a three-year contract worth $21MM – to take over for John Calipari‘s interim replacement, Don Casey. Jackson spoke with Lewis Katz, the charismatic principal owner of the Nets for about a month leading up to that but ultimately turned them down. Based on comments from Jackson’s rep Todd Musberger earlier today, it sounds like they can expect a similar outcome if they go down that road again. Here’s more out of Brooklyn..
- Johnson speculated that players went above his head to ownership to get him fired, tweets Stefan Bondy of the Daily News (on Twitter). Johnson’s biggest supporters on the team included Jerry Stackhouse, Gerald Wallace, and Joe Johnson, Bondy tweets.
- In today’s press conference to announce Johnson’s dismissal and P.J. Carlisemo‘s promotion to interim coach, General Manager Billy King made it known that he’s willing to make a move in order to turn things around, tweets Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld. “I’m not one to shy away from a trade… its figuring out what pieces to change,” King said.
- Charley Rosen of Sheridan Hoops isn’t so sure that Jackson won’t entertain the idea of coaching in Brooklyn. Rosen argues that the Zen Master isn’t the type to rush into any decisions and is likely to consider any interesting oppportunity that comes his way.
- Johnson has a history of clashing with point guards, writes Jeff Caplan of NBA.com. Johnson butted heads with Devin Harris in Dallas, leading to him being traded to the Nets for Jason Kidd. Kidd and Johnson lasted together just three months before the coach was let go.
Nets Coaching Search Rumors: Thursday
While many have already been labeling Deron Williams as a "coach killer," the Nets' decision to fire Avery Johnson today wasn't on D-Will, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). SI.com's Chris Mannix agrees, noting (via Twitter) that no Nets players, including Williams, were consulted before the decision was made. No matter who was behind the move, the Nets are in the market for a new coach, with P.J. Carlesimo taking over in the interim. We'll round up today's rumblings about the search right here, with the latest updates at the top….
- Despite reports that the Nets have Phil Jackson atop their wishlist, an informed source tells David Aldridge of TNT (on Twitter) that the Nets don't have a top target.
- Earlier tonight, Williams denied having a role in Johnson's dismissal.
Earlier updates:
- Phil Jackson's representative, Todd Musburger, tells TNT's David Aldridge in a text that Jackson currently has "no interest" in the Nets' job (Twitter link).
- Nate McMillan isn't on the Nets' radar right now, according to Mannix (via Twitter).
- Johnson had "badly wanted" a contract extension from the Nets, and was surprised when the team engaged in talks with GM Billy King before talking about a new deal for the coach, writes Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
- Brooklyn isn't expected to begin its coaching search in earnest until the new year, reports Sam Amick of USA Today (Twitter link).
- The Nets are launching a "broad" search that will include a call to Phil Jackson, among others, tweets ESPN.com's Marc Stein. However, TNT's David Aldridge points out (via Twitter) that nothing seems to have changed regarding Jackson's desire to gain organizational control in any job he accepts.
- Talks with the Lakers got Jackson thinking about coaching again, so he'd at least listen if and when the Nets call, says Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (via Twitter).
- According to Aldridge (Twitter link), the Nets have yet to contact Nate McMillan or Brian Shaw, but that doesn't mean they won't do so eventually.
- McMillan, David Blatt, and both Van Gundys (Stan and Jeff) are candidates Ken Berger of CBSSports.com thinks the Nets may consider in their search. However, "the answer to whether the Nets will consider [John] Calipari is an unequivocal no," according to Berger.
- In an email to Mannix at SI.com (Twitter link), Stan Van Gundy reiterated something we heard earlier today, writing that he has "no interest at all" in the Nets' job.
Nets Have Phil Jackson Atop Their Wishlist
The Nets have Phil Jackson atop their list of potential replacements for Avery Johnson and will make a hard push for him, sources told Marc Stein and Chris Broussard of ESPN.com. Jackson's longtime rep Todd Musberger says that his client has "no interest" in the job at this time, but a source says that Jackson would indeed entertain an approach from Brooklyn.
That same source said that Jackson's flirtation with the Lakers after Mike Brown's dismissal got him "thinking about coaching again." The 67-year-old Jackson appeared close to returning for a third stint in November before L.A. unexpectedly gave the job to Mike D'Antoni.
Meanwhile, Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops (on Twitter) reports that the Nets have already made contact with Jackson through back channels. However, sources say that the reaching out hasn't been from CEO Brett Yormark or General Manager Billy King. We know that Nets brass isn't terribly patient when it comes to reaching out to their desired targets from their dealings with Dwight Howard. King and owner Mikhail Prokhorov reportedly met face-to-face with Howard in Miami one year ago when he was still a member of the Magic.
One coaching source told Stein and Broussard that an approach for Southern Methodist University's Larry Brown could not be ruled out because of Brown's close relationship with Nets general manager Billy King. Brown is in his first season at SMU, but he hasn't had any difficulty in moving from job-to-job over the course of his career. That would include Brown's stint as Nets coach in the early 1980s, which ended when he took the head coaching gig at the University of Kansas rather than guide his playoff-bound NBA team.
Earlier tonight, Nets star Deron Williams denied playing a role in Johnson's firing. We also heard that Stan Van Gundy isn't interested in the position and Nate McMillan isn't presently on the radar.
Deron Williams Denies Role In Johnson’s Firing
There has been a great deal of speculation that star Deron Williams played a role in Avery Johnson's firing as Nets head coach, but the point guard denied that in a conversation with Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News and added that he was "surprised" by the news.
"I never had any conversation with (GM) Billy King about not liking coach, nothing about coach Johnson," Williams said. "Avery was a big reason I came back, because him and Billy. So I was surprised. We've never had an argument, we've never had a fight, any disagreements, anything. So, I think it was more kind of what happened in Utah, people still saying I got coach [Jerry] Sloan fired even though he resigned and that's going to stick with me for a while."
Williams raised eyebrows around the league last week with his criticism of Johnson's offense and his apparent pining for Sloan's offensive system in Utah. The irony in that, of course, is that Williams was widely believed to have a hand in Sloan's resignation from the Jazz in 2011. Williams says that he met with Johnson the following day to explain that he meant nothing by the comments and the coach said that he wasn't bothered by them.
Reactions To Nets’ Firing Of Avery Johnson
The Nets fired Avery Johnson earlier today, after the Nets had won just three of their last 13 games. With home games against the Bobcats and Cavaliers up next on the schedule, interim coach P.J. Carlesimo will have the opportunity to turn things around immediately. However, not everyone believes firing Johnson was the right call, and it remains to be soon who the next permanent coach will be in Brooklyn. Here are a few reactions and follow-up items in the wake of Johnson's dismissal:
- In musing about whether the Nets could make a run at Phil Jackson, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports notes (via Twitter) that management doesn't believe the Triangle offense fits the current roster.
- Johnson's firing caught some members of the Nets organization off guard, and was clearly a decision made by owner Mikhail Prokhorov, tweets Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. On the other hand, Wojnarowski tweets that it was GM Billy King who made the final decision.
- According to one Nets player, there was no indication after last night's loss that this move was coming, tweets Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. The player tells Bondy he was "blindsided" by the news.
- RealGM.com's Jarrod Rudolph (Twitter link) believes Stan Van Gundy would be a good fit in Brooklyn, but the ex-Magic coach has no interest in the job, according to Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link).
- While Grantland's Zach Lowe says he isn't a big fan of Johnson, he adds that the Nets have unrealistic expectations for this team, which wasn't far off the pace that most pundits predicted (Twitter links).
- A veteran executive tells TNT's David Aldridge that he thinks the Nets will hire a big-name replacement for Johnson, rather than a young, up-and-coming coach (Twitter link).
Nets Fire Avery Johnson
12:09pm: Assistant P.J. Carlesimo has been named the Nets' interim head coach, reports Wojnarowski (via Twitter).
11:58am: A poor showing in December has cost a head coach his job. After a 3-10 record this month brought the team's record back to .500, the Nets have fired coach Avery Johnson, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). Chris Sheridan of SheridanHoops.com reported earlier today that Johnson could be let go before tomorrow night's game.
"The Nets ownership would like to express thanks to Avery for his efforts and to wish him every success in the future," said Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov in a statement confirming Johnson's dismissal.
Johnson, who was in his third season as coach of the Nets, was named Coach of the Month for November just a few weeks ago. Since then, however, not much has gone right in Brooklyn. Kris Humphries has fallen out of the rotation, Deron Williams has publicly questioned the team's offensive system, and most recently, Gerald Wallace expressed displeasure in the club's performance.
At 14-14, Johnson was well on his way to leading the Nets to their best season since he took over, after the team averaged just 23 wins in his two previous seasons. However, after the organization committed well over $200MM+ to free agents and took on Joe Johnson's $89MM contract this summer, expectations in Brooklyn had increased significantly.
Avery Johnson On Hot Seat?
Avery Johnson said last weekend that he wasn't worried about his job security, but after a 17-point home loss to the Celtics, and a 15-point loss in Milwaukee, one NBA executive tells Chris Sheridan of SheridanHoops.com that "the watch is on." An unnamed Nets player called the situation "flammable," likening it to Jerry Sloan's final days in Utah.
The description of Johnson's situation as "Jerry Sloan all over again" stems from the fact that the same star player, point guard Deron Williams, is involved. Williams, who has underachieved so far this season, reportedly isn't seeing eye to eye with Johnson in Brooklyn (Twitter link via Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times).
After an 11-4 November, the Nets have struggled immensely in December, with the team now just sitting at .500 (14-14) overall. While Sheridan suggests that a coaching change could come as soon as this week, I'd be surprised if the Nets didn't give Johnson a little more time to right the ship. Still, expectations are high in Brooklyn after the club spent hundreds of millions of dollars to add players this summer, so Johnson's job security is worth keeping a close eye on.
Atlantic Rumors: Lowry, Raptors, D-Will, Celtics
The Celtics were the only one of three Atlantic Division teams to win on Christmas, beating the division rivals Nets to tie them for seventh place in the Eastern Conference. Boston is also the only Atlantic Division club not playing on the road tonight, as they have the day off. But no one will envy the Celtics tomorrow, when they must face the scorching Clippers in Los Angeles. There hasn't been much for Boston to crow about this season, and there's more about that along with other Atlantic Division scuttlebutt here.
- Sam Smith of Bulls.com writes that the Raptors "supposedly would like" to package Kyle Lowry in a trade and hang on to Jose Calderon. I'm not sure about this one, since Lowry's deal, which lasts through next season, is cap-friendly while Calderon's expiring contract is paying him $10.56MM this year. The Raptors have won five of the six games Calderon has started since Lowry went down with a tear in his right triceps, but that's a tiny sample size.
- Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun looks at five questions facing the Raptors, including the matter of who should start at point guard when Lowry returns to health.
- When you’re a point guard, your job is to get others going, but when you’re making the max, as Deron Williams is, you also have to look for your own shot, something Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News urges Williams to do more often after his seven-shot, 10-point effort on Christmas.
- There's more to team-building than simply adding talent, as Brandon Bass of the struggling Celtics attests to HoopsWorld's Lang Greene.
New York Notes: Kidd, Stoudemire, Blatche
This afternoon's game vs. the Celtics was the equivalent of a lump of coal in the Nets' stocking, as Brooklyn suffered a 17-point defeat on its home court. The Knicks are hoping for a better result in Los Angeles, currently engaged in a tight game with the Lakers in the second half. As we wait to see if one of the two New York teams can pull out a Christmas Day victory, here are a few links out of the Big Apple:
- While some fans and pundits were skeptical when the Knicks signed Jason Kidd to a three-year contract this summer, the veteran point guard has been at the heart of the team's success, writes Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com.
- Also at ESPNNewYork.com, Begley asks whether the Knicks should trade Amare Stoudemire. I think a better question would be whether the Knicks can trade Stoudemire.
- Andray Blatche tells NBA.com's Jeff Caplan that after being amnestied by the Wizards in July, it was a while before he received any interest from NBA teams: "During the summer, I didn’t get no phone calls." Blatche ended up working out in Houston with former coach John Lucas, and Caplan notes that if Nets coach Avery Johnson didn't live just outside of Houston, allowing him to work out Blatche at his home, the ex-Wizard may not be playing in the NBA right now.
- Earlier today, I examined Kris Humphries as a trade candidate.
Trade Candidate: Kris Humphries
No team spent more lavishly this offseason than the Brooklyn Nets, who committed over $240MM on free agent signings, a figure that doesn't even include the $89MM+ contract the club took on when it acquired Joe Johnson from the Hawks. However, it wasn't as if the Nets were going out and pursuing all the best outside free agents on the market. The team never officially cleared any cap space, instead electing to re-sign its own free agents, such as Deron Williams, Brook Lopez, and Gerald Wallace.
With the Nets well over the cap, it only made sense for the team to bring back another player whose Bird rights it held: Kris Humphries. Having no cap room or exception money remaining after their spending spree, the Nets could only sign minimum-salary deals, which likely wouldn't be enough to lure in another player capable of averaging a double-double, as Humphries did last season. So the team inked Humphries to a two-year contract worth $24MM, ensuring that the big man was around to help Lopez on the glass.
The price to retain Humphries was high, but there was some logic to overpaying — Dwight Howard was still on the trade market at the time, and if D12 had remained available into the regular season, the Nets could have re-entered the mix to acquire him. The more salary the Nets sent out in a hypothetical Howard deal, the more bad contracts they could take on from the Magic (or whichever team held Howard), so paying Humphries $12MM annually rather than $8MM could have actually helped facilitate a deal. Additionally, giving him two years at a higher annual average value, rather than three years, meant avoiding a long-term commitment, and getting the chance to clear him from the books in 2014.
Of course, mere weeks after the Nets re-signed Humphries, the Lakers acquired Howard, and it's unlikely that the All-Star center will be back on the trade market this season. Making matters worse, Humphries hasn't exactly fit in with the new-look Nets, falling out of favor with coach Avery Johnson, and seeing reduced minutes in recent weeks. After averaging nearly 35 minutes per contest last season, the 27-year-old is playing just over 23 per game this year.
According to Howard Beck of the New York Times, the Nets were never particularly enamored of Humphries, and his sudden demotion "practically screams buyer's remorse." There's some reason to believe that injuries have slowed Humphries recently, as a mild abdominal strain kept him out of action today vs. the Celtics and will sideline him tomorrow against the Bucks (Twitter link). Still, the former reality-TV star doesn't appear to be a core piece in Brooklyn, and when we asked earlier this week whether the Nets will try to trade him, approximately 85% of you predicted they would.
Deciding to move Humphries is one thing, but finding a logical deal is quite another. With a $12MM annual salary, nagging injuries, and a fairly one-dimensional game, Humphries may be a decent complimentary piece for a team, but he's hardly a tantalizing trade chip. He would likely have to be packaged with more attractive assets, such as MarShon Brooks or a collection of future draft picks, to draw a whole lot of interest.
Even paired with Brooks or a draft pick, it's hard to envision a perfect match for Humphries and the Nets. Brooklyn certainly has no qualms about taking on big-money contracts, making them a candidate to take on a player like Pau Gasol, who is owed $19MM annually. But Humphries likely isn't the sort of player the Lakers are looking for, and the Nets themselves may prefer to acquire a forward more suited for small-ball, with Wallace seeing major minutes at power forward lately.
Wilson Chandler may be a decent fit for the Nets, but his salary isn't significant enough to match up with Humphries'. Danny Granger is a big name that may be available at the trade deadline, and the Pacers could use backcourt help, but I'm skeptical that Brooks and a couple draft picks would be enough to entice Indiana to part with its top scorer. One name that has re-surfaced recently in connection with the Nets is Ersan Ilyasova, who the team reportedly eyed over the summer. Brooks could interest Milwaukee, if the team expects to lose either Monta Ellis or Brandon Jennings next summer, but the Nets would probably have to take on a bad salary like Drew Gooden's to make any sort of Humphries/Ilyasova swap a realistic possibility.
Even if there's not a perfect match out there for Humphries on the trade market, I expect the Nets to explore their options in earnest once he becomes trade-eligible in January. The team re-signed Humphries in order to retain a solid asset they would've otherwise lost for nothing, but the veteran forward hasn't been a fit in Brooklyn, and it may be time for the team to cut its losses. If a Humphries package can bring back another piece that would be of more use to the Nets, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him on the move on or before February 21st.