Brooklyn Nets Blog – Page 64 – NBA Blog

Brooklyn Nets to speak with Brian Shaw about coaching job

After waiting several weeks for his season to end, the Nets are set to speak with Brian Shaw.

The Nets formally requested — and were granted permission — to speak with Shaw about their coaching vacancy, according to a Yahoo! Sports report.

Shaw, who spent the past two seasons as the associate head coach of the Pacers, has been widely regarded as one of the NBA’s top assistant coaches for some time. His stock has only heightened in the wake of several other assistants getting tapped for head coaching jobs this offseason.

Shaw’s agent, Jerome Stanley, declined to comment on the matter to The Post when reached by phone, but he told ESPN Los Angeles several teams have reached out to the Pacers about his client’s services.

“The season has ended and now he plans to speak to a few teams about potential opportunities to be a head coach,” Stanley told the website.

Reported by Tim Bontemps of the New York Post

Jason Kidd transformed Nets the minute he arrived

Jason Kidd’s wife had just given birth to twin girls, so he was a late arrival to Nets training camp in 2001. Still, he attended the team dinner the night before the real work began. Coming off a typically dreadful 26-victory season, Nets coach Byron Scott addressed the players. When he was finished, Kidd asked if he could say a few words.

“He said, ‘We’re going to the playoffs,’ ” Lawrence Frank, who succeeded Scott as coach, recalled yesterday after Kidd announced his retirement following 19 brilliant NBA seasons. “The guys in the room didn’t know what they were hearing.”

“Nets” and “playoffs” were two words that prior to Kidd went together like “jelly” and “liver.” Kidd soon repeated the promise to the media. People thought Kidd was nuts.

“The minute he walked in the door, you could feel the entire mood change,” Richard Jefferson said. “You could feel the air in the gym completely change.”

Change. That was the word. Kidd changed everything about the Nets. The sad sacks became NBA finalists, not once but twice. There were better teams, but has there ever been a more entertaining team than the group that featured the blinding quickness of Kidd and Kerry Kittles in the backcourt, Jefferson and Kenyon Martin up front?

Reported by Fred Kerber of the New York Post

Jason Kidd retires from basketball

One of the greatest, most fun-to-watch point guards in this era of professional basketball is saying goodbye and moving on to greener pastures.

New York Knicks Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations and General Manager Glen Grunwald announced today that 10-time NBA All-Star guard Jason Kidd has retired from playing professional basketball.

“Jason’s value to the Knicks and the National Basketball Association cannot be quantified by statistics alone,” Grunwald said. “Everyone here in New York saw firsthand what a tremendous competitor he is and why Jason is considered to be one of the best point guards, and leaders, the game has ever seen.”

“My time in professional basketball has been an incredible journey, but one that must come to an end after 19 years,” Kidd said. “As I reflect on my time with the four teams I represented in the NBA, I look back fondly at every season and thank each every one of my teammates and coaches that joined me on the court.”

“Veteran leadership on and off the court was a huge factor for our team that recorded 54 victories and an Atlantic Division crown,” Head Coach Mike Woodson said. “Jason provided an incredible voice inside our lockerroom and I considered it an honor to say I coached him.”

Kidd, 6-4, 220-pounds, holds averages of 12.6 points, 8.7 assists. 6.3 rebounds and 1.93 steals with Dallas, Phoenix, New Jersey and New York. These Springfield-caliber career numbers have solidified his place among the greatest of the great in NBA history. On the League’s all-time leaders lists he ranks: second in season-appearances (19), sixth in games played (1,391), third in minutes (50,111), second in assists (12,091), second in steals (2,684), third in three-point field goals (1,988), 50th overall in rebounds and first overall amongst guards (8,725), 71st in points scored (17,529) and third in triple-doubles (107).

He appeared in 158 postseason games, averaging 12.9 points, 7.8 assists, 6.7 rebounds and 1.91 steals and led the Dallas Mavericks, along with current Knicks All-Star center Tyson Chandler, to the 2011 NBA Championship. He also is a two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, leading Team USA in 2000 at Sydney and in 2008 in Beijing. As a member of the New Jersey Nets, Kidd appeared in back-to-back NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003.

Kidd is a 10-time NBA All-Star (1996, 1998, 2000-04, 2007-08, 2010), a five-time All-NBA First-Team selection (1999-02, 2004) and earned All-NBA Second Team honors in 2003. He was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team four times (1999, 2001, 2002, 2006) and Second Team five times (2000, 2003-05, 2007) and was the 1995 Co-Rookie of the Year. On Apr. 30, Kidd became the first-ever back-to-back recipient of the Joe Dumars Trophy presented to the 2012-13 NBA Sportsmanship Award winner, an honor voted-on by all current players.

In his first and only season with the Knicks, Kidd provided trademark backcourt leadership and stability both as a starter and off the bench. Recording averages of 6.0 points, 3.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.64 steals in 76 games, the San Francisco, CA native became just the third Knicks player to celebrate his 40th birthday in the orange and blue (joining Kurt Thomas and Herb Williams).

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InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner says: The immediate guess is that J-Kidd, assuming he still wants to earn a paycheck going forward, may dive into coaching. I won’t be surprised if he’s an assistant coach somewhere next season.

Nets wanted to interview Doc Rivers

The next coach of the Nets won’t be Doc Rivers.

ESPNBoston.com reported Thursday night that the Nets reached out to Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge about potentially sitting down with Rivers to discuss the team’s head coaching opening, but that Ainge refused to grant them permission.

That Ainge would deny the Nets a chance to sit down with Rivers isn’t at all surprising, given that he still has three years and over $20 million remaining on the extension he signed with Boston back in 2011 – one that made him one of the game’s highest-paid coaches – and is widely to be considered among the league’s best coaches.

Reported by Tim Bontemps of the New York Post (Blog)

Madison Square Garden may have to move in 15 years

The world’s biggest stage may have to move in 15 years.

The city opted to renew Madison Square Garden’s lease for a mere 15 years Wednesday, signaling that the iconic arena is not a permanent fixture in midtown Manhattan.

“The best possible outcome would be a relocated Madison Square Garden,” said city Planning Commission chairwoman Amanda Burden.

The commissioners then voted unanimously to approve the 15-year permit.

The owner of the 45-year-old arena, James Dolan, had been seeking a renewal “in perpetuity” while he carried out $1 billion in renovations that upgraded seats, luxury suites and more.

“We are extremely disappointed in today’s vote, especially because MSG meets all of the requirements for the permit,” the Garden said in a statement.

Reported by Stephen Rex Brown and Jennifer Fermino of the New York Daily News

Andray Blatche had good season for Nets

When Blatche was amnestied by the Wizards last summer, some wondered if he would ever get another NBA job again after his tumultuous tenure in the nation’s capital, including sitting out most of last season, first with a calf injury and then because Washington simply didn’t want him around any longer.

But after going to work out with John Lucas in Houston over the summer, Blatche met with then-coach Avery Johnson, who was convinced to give Blatche a chance with the Nets, basically guaranteeing him a roster spot.

No one could have known it at the time, but it turned out to be a master stroke for the Nets, as Blatche wound up becoming one of the team’s key contributors this season. He was the only player to suit up and play in all 82 games, and teamed with Brook Lopez to form one of the NBA’s best 1-2 punches at the center spot, and easily its best from an offensive standpoint.

When given the opportunity, Blatche also was effective at times playing alongside Lopez, including in the playoffs against the Bulls.

The season wasn’t without its speed bumps for Blatche, however. He seemed to tail off a bit at times after the decision was made to fire Johnson, the man who had brought him to Brooklyn and placed him on a strict workout regimen to help keep him on the straight and narrow.

— Reported by Tim Bontemps of the New York Post

Andray Blatche wants to stay with Nets

Backup center Andray Blatche, now an unrestricted free agent, would like to stay with the Brooklyn Nets.

“That’s the plan. I’m not sure yet right now,” Blatche said Sunday. “I can’t tell you 100 percent yet. But that’s the plan for me.”

Blatche, 26, whom the Washington Wizards exercised their amnesty rights on his contract after seven tumultuous seasons there, was given a second chance by the Nets, who signed him to a one-year, non-guaranteed contract for the league minimum.

He made the most of it, averaging 10.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game during the regular season on 51.2 percent shooting.

Because they don’t have his Bird rights, the Nets can’t offer Blatche that much money: either 120 percent of the veteran’s minimum or the taxpayer’s mini mid-level exception.

But what they have going for them is Blatche is still owed $16 million by the Wizards over the next two seasons.

— Reported by Mike Mazzeo of ESPN New York

Brooklyn Nets begin search for new head coach

The Brooklyn Nets will not offer a new contract to interim head coach P.J. Carlesimo, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today. A search for a new head coach will commence immediately.

One obvious candidate for the Nets is Phil Jackson, who may be willing to consider a return to coaching in the league.

“The Brooklyn Nets organization would like to thank P.J. for his efforts with the team in his roles as both head coach and assistant, and for his contributions to the team’s success both on and off the court. We wish P.J. and his family only the best in the years to come.”

Carlesimo was named interim head coach of the Brooklyn Nets on December 27, 2012 and led the Nets to a 35-19 record in the final 54 games of the season. Under Carlesimo, the Nets reached the postseason for the first time since 2007, losing to Chicago (4-3) in the first round. Including his previous stops as a head coach in Portland, Golden State and Seattle/OKC, Carlesimo has a lifetime NBA coaching record of 239-315 in the regular season and 6-13 in the playoffs.

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Luol Deng still in hospital, will miss Game 7 vs Nets

Chicago Bulls forward Luol Deng remained in a Chicago-area hospital Saturday morning and will miss Game 7 against the Brooklyn Nets while guard Kirk Hinrich is a game-time decision with a bruised calf.

Deng tweeted on Thursday that he was taken to the emergency room on Wednesday and his symptoms indicated he might have meningitis, requiring him to undergo a spinal tap.

“As a result of the spinal tap I suffered the worst headache I’ve ever experienced and been the weakest I’ve ever felt,” Deng tweeted. “Yesterday I was unable to walk or even get out of bed. I made it to the UC and was sent home. (Friday) morning my symptoms worsened.”

He added that he was “the weakest I’ve ever felt” from a viral flu that forced him to miss a Game 6 loss and said symptoms worsened Friday morning, leading to a trip to the emergency room.

— Reported by ESPN Chicago

Andray Blatche comes through off bench for Nets

Andray Blatche nodded his head, then pumped his left fist as he strolled toward the locker room and heard applause from Nets management.

The eighth-year pro never experienced a moment like this, not after spending his first seven seasons with the lowly Wizards. He had been to the playoffs before but never factored in an outcome as much as he did Thursday night.

As raucous Bulls fans tried every method possible to distract him, Blatche calmly stepped to the free-throw line with 19.2 seconds left in regulation. A 68.5 percent free-throw shooter during the regular season, Blatche looked flawless as he made both shots.

“Those were the biggest free throws I’ve ever shot in my career,” Blatche said. “It was beyond loud. Even C.J. (Watson) said his ears started ringing.

“Those free throws meant a lot to us. I just focused and stuck to my routine. I didn’t let it bother me. I just shot the ball like I would any other time.”

— Reported by Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune