With Jason Kidd’s tenure as Nets head coach likely drawing to a close, here are a few candidates who might be targeted to fill the job when it becomes available:
Lionel Hollins: Spent the past season out of coaching after leading Memphis to 56 wins and a trip to the Western Conference finals in 2012-13. Hollins led the Grizzlies’ rise to prominence in the loaded Western Conference.
George Karl: Has won a total of 1,139 games as an NBA head coach — placing him sixth all-time behind Don Nelson, Lenny Wilkens, Jerry Sloan, Pat Riley and Phil Jackson. Karl was let go by Denver in 2013 after losing in the first round for the eighth time in nine seasons with the Nuggets despite winning Coach of the Year honors.
Jeff Van Gundy: The former Knicks and Rockets coach is highly respected, and made the playoffs in nine of the 10 full seasons he coached. Has said he’s happy calling games for ESPN, but the Nets job could be the type to tempt him back to the sidelines.
Mark Jackson: The Brooklyn native is out of work after being dismissed by the Warriors this spring following a first-round exit against the Clippers. Jackson improved Golden State’s record each of his three seasons, but also clashed with ownership and the front office.
Kevin Ollie: If the Nets look at college coaches, Ollie would be an intriguing candidate. He’s well-liked and respected around the NBA, having played with everyone from LeBron James to Kevin Durant during a 12-year journeyman career. He led UConn to a national title this spring and recently signed a long-term extension.