Chris Humphreys-USA Today Sports
Don’t close the door on P.J. Carlesimo’s chances of returning as coach of the Brooklyn Nets just yet.
Owner Mikhail Prokhorov, despite Carlesimo’s 35-19 regular season record after taking over for the previously 14-14 Avery Johnson, has refused to pull the trigger on a deal that would shed Carlesimo of his interim tag and make this his team move forward. Prokhorov insists that he will evaluate the head coaching position after the season, and the feeling most have is that he wants someone with a more distinguished pedigree.
Phil Jackson, the former Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls coach who has the most championships from the sideline at 11, was rumored to the main target on Prokhorov’s radar. But since agreeing to join the Detroit Pistons front office earlier this week, Jackson’s return to coaching in general seems highly unlikely.
There is, however, a meeting set to take place with current ESPN broadcaster and former Houston Rockets and New York Knicks head coach Jeff Van Gundy after the season. Van Gundy has always been one of the more respected coaches amongst both his peers and players, and led the Knicks to the Finals back in 1999 against the San Antonio Spurs.
And as Carlesimo’s squad fell into a 3-1 hole in their first round playoff series against the Bulls, his chances of returning next season didn’t seem too bright. However, now that the Nets have fought back to force a Game 7 Saturday night in Brooklyn, a win could not only save their season, but also their coach’s job, as only eight teams in NBA history have ever overcome this sort of deficit.
Even Prokhorov knows he might look like the bad guy if he doesn’t retain a coach that made that sort of history.
Mike B. Ruiz is a Brooklyn Nets writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @mikebruiz and “Like” him on Facebook.
