Nets president Rod Thorn chuckled before he discussed the current and immediate future state of the team’s coaching hunt.
“Stay tuned,” he said.
Thorn will interview Avery Johnson this weekend for the position, and, with Boston assistant Tom Thibodeau appearing to be a lock in New Orleans, the former Mavericks coach looms as the favorite.
Phil Jackson is not going to happen. The remote chances of any college candidates died when new owner Mikhail Prokhorov insisted he wants NBA experience. And, no, don’t put John Calipari into the mix.
So Johnson emerges as the early front-runner for the Nets, now a most attractive team — they already have sold more season tickets than ever before by the end of May.
Jeff Van Gundy (indications say he will coach later rather than sooner) and fired Cavaliers coach Mike Brown likely will chat with Thorn eventually. So, too, will Thibodeau — unless the Hornets job becomes official.
Other hot assistants — Portland’s Monty Williams, the Lakers’ Brian Shaw, Houston’s Elston Turner — may get considered.
Thorn had wanted to wait until after the playoffs to start the interviews but yesterday said, “I might change that.”
Obviously, he’s not waiting to chat with Johnson, who posted a 194-70 (.735) coaching record with Dallas. Thorn wants a coach to lead and develop a young team. The notion he would hire someone who might lure a free agent is “unlikely.”
Johnson was an overachiever as a player, a hard worker, a Coach of the Year and a NBA Finals coach, all traits that appeal to Thorn. One rap was he became full of himself but many believe his subsequent unemployment has injected a dose of humility. That’s something Thorn intends to find out.
“We’re trying to go about this in an orderly, timely fashion,” said Thorn, who ruled out trading a pick (early second-rounder) for permission to talk to and sign a coach under contract elsewhere.
The Nets’ top pick, No. 3 overall, is virtually off limits. With John Wall and Evan Turner expected to go 1-2 (the Nets would grab either if they fell), Georgia Tech power forward Derrick Favors, 18 and incredibly raw, still rates as the favorite over DeMarcus Cousins, the 6-11 Kentucky center.