When it came right down to it, only one aspect of the evaluation mattered to Nets president Rod Thorn.
“In my mind, he’s a good coach,” Thorn said yesterday of Lawrence Frank.
And that is why Thorn is bringing back Frank for the final year of his deal at $4.5 million. Not the endorsement of the owner. Not any financial consideration. Not the input of players.
“If you get rid of a good coach, you’ve got to get a good coach. He’s a good coach and he’s done a good job here. This past year, we weren’t expected to do very well and we ended up doing better than most people expected,” said Thorn, who met resistance from the business side of the organization — but it was basically his call all the way.
“Lawrence will be coming back as coach. And we’re very happy to have him, and as far as I’m concerned we’re very lucky to have him,” Thorn said. “He’s a very good coach. I think he will do a terrific job for us.”
Frank has compiled a 225-225 record in his 5½ years with the Nets, the longest tenure of any Eastern coach and in overall seniority with the same team trailing only Jerry Sloan, Gregg Popovich and Mike Dunleavy.
Although the Nets were 34-48 and out of the playoffs for a second straight year this season, this may have been his best job. Many national forecasts had the Nets in the 20’s for victories in a rebuilding season.
“We’re very excited to return,” said Frank, whose assistants’ contracts are up this summer — and there is no immediate word on their status. “I honestly was not overly anxious or feeling trepidation because Rod said it would be an evaluation and a process and we trusted the process. I’ve been going about things the way I have at the end of any other season.”
Frank fervently endorsed his staff: “Our assistants have done a great job.”
Thorn discounted any notion of “lame duck” status affecting Frank.
“There are a lot of coaches that go into the last year on their contract. (With) the players we have I don’t see any problems at all,” he said.