Top Seven Coaching Prospects for the Brooklyn Nets

[Old School 44]

I can see this happening, but would it matter so much to the Spurs? What do you think of Messina possibly being the successor to Pop one day?
From ESPN:
Ettore Messina: While it’s possible that he eventually replaces Gregg Popovich in San Antonio, the highly decorated Italian native used to coach Brooklyn owner Mikhail Prokhorov's championship-winning squads at CSKA Moscow in Russia. That would certainly make for an interesting hire.


Here are the other six. (http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/brooklyn-nets/post/_/id/23373/five-candidates-for-brooklyn-nets-new-coaching-vacancy)

[ceperez]

I can see this happening, but would it matter so much to the Spurs? What do you think of Messina possibly being the successor to Pop one day?


From ESPN:
Ettore Messina: While it’s possible that he eventually replaces Gregg Popovich in San Antonio, the highly decorated Italian native used to coach Brooklyn owner Mikhail Prokhorov's championship-winning squads at CSKA Moscow in Russia. That would certainly make for an interesting hire.


Here are the other six. (http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/brooklyn-nets/post/_/id/23373/five-candidates-for-brooklyn-nets-new-coaching-vacancy)

Hard to tell what he'll do in the middle of the season. Pop said he wasn't retiring soon, so Messina might consider a move. It will all depend on how much he values winning with the Spurs over holding an NBA head coach position. Will also depend if he sees that he's got enough talent on the Nets roster to make progress.

My take is that IF he is offered the position, he will likely accept. The Spurs head coach position isn't available, so he likely will bolt.

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

While their draft picks situation is well documented - they'll have one 1st round pick in the next 3 years, this is not as terrible a position as it looks for a new coach. They'll clear the roster, build around Lopez and Young and will have a huge amount of cash to throw at FAs this summer. If they hire a competent GM, for a change, and have Prokhorov willing to invest, they'll have a strong pull and could attract decent players there. There are a lot of evenly good teams in the east right now but none, except for Cleveland, is ahead of the pack, so Brooklyn could easily get in this group with a few good additions.

[Old School 44]

Don't know if it's purely coincidental, but I've seen it happen in a few trades, where the teams involved seem to be play the same day or week of the deal. Interestingly, we play the Nets tonight in Brooklyn.

[ceperez]

While their draft picks situation is well documented - they'll have one 1st round pick in the next 3 years, this is not as terrible a position as it looks for a new coach. They'll clear the roster, build around Lopez and Young and will have a huge amount of cash to throw at FAs this summer. If they hire a competent GM, for a change, and have Prokhorov willing to invest, they'll have a strong pull and could attract decent players there. There are a lot of evenly good teams in the east right now but none, except for Cleveland, is ahead of the pack, so Brooklyn could easily get in this group with a few good additions.

I guess everyone will have to wait for them to get a GM before they even consider coaches.

The problem right now with the roster is that the league has gone small ball and Brook Lopez isn't the kind of player you want to build around.

[Brazil]

I would not mind seeing him taking over a NBA team on the contrary... I think it would be a great experience for him and with a bit of luck he could contend for the job for the Spurs much more experienced

[Old School 44]

While their draft picks situation is well documented - they'll have one 1st round pick in the next 3 years, this is not as terrible a position as it looks for a new coach. They'll clear the roster, build around Lopez and Young and will have a huge amount of cash to throw at FAs this summer. If they hire a competent GM, for a change, and have Prokhorov willing to invest, they'll have a strong pull and could attract decent players there. There are a lot of evenly good teams in the east right now but none, except for Cleveland, is ahead of the pack, so Brooklyn could easily get in this group with a few good additions.

Not that the Nets/Spurs would do anything like this, but can you get a player for a coach? I always liked Bojan Bogdanovic.
I can hear the call now, "Bonner to Bobo to Bojan to Boban for the slam."

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

I guess everyone will have to wait for them to get a GM before they even consider coaches.

The problem right now with the roster is that the league has gone small ball and Brook Lopez isn't the kind of player you want to build around.

Yep, GM should come first. I'm not sure Lopez is such a bad fit to build around if he's healthy. He can score and if he's surrounded with the right players they can easily be back in the playoffs within 2 years.


Not that the Nets/Spurs would do anything like this, but can you get a player for a coach? I always liked Bojan Bogdanovic.
I can hear the call now, "Bonner to Bobo to Bojan to Boban for the slam."

Well Spurs could ask for a pick but they don't have any :lol

[Old School 44]

I would not mind seeing him taking over a NBA team on the contrary... I think it would be a great experience for him and with a bit of luck he could contend for the job for the Spurs much more experienced
True, and I can see Pop letting Messina go with no issues, especially to the East. Tbh, the only guy though that I'd like to see comeback to coach the team if Pop leaves is coach Bud. At this point, I think Ime Udoka is the long term front runner to coach the Spurs when Pop hangs it up. The only problem is how long is Pop going to stay and how long is Udoka willing to wait. I bet he will be getting offers in the coming years if he hasn't already.

[ceperez]

True, and I can see Pop letting Messina go with no issues, especially to the East. Tbh, the only guy though that I'd like to see comeback to coach the team if Pop leaves is coach Bud. At this point, I think Ime Udoka is the long term front runner to coach the Spurs when Pop hangs it up. The only problem is how long is Pop going to stay and how long is Udoka willing to wait. I bet he will be getting offers in the coming years if he hasn't already.

I though that Pop had agreed to stay as coach for at least LMA's tenure? If that's the case, then maybe the only coach left to replace Pop might by Becky Hammon.

[Mel_13]

Pop has always let people go to take a higher level position in another organization, but Messina strikes me as the old school type that wouldn't leave in the middle of a season.

[FromWayDowntown]

Pop has always let people go to take a higher level position in another organization, but Messina strikes me as the old school type that wouldn't leave in the middle of a season.

I agree with this.

My hunch, though, is that Prokhorov wants to make a big splash. While Messina might be a very good selection from a sheer coaching standpoint, he won't really move the needle much with casual fans (at least not until he starts winning).

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

If the Nets fail to get some big name like Thibs, they might go with an interim coach until the summer and in this case Messina could be a good option for them. In any case, I don't see him at Spurs beyond this season. He deserves to be the main guy somewhere and Ime is probably ready to become the lead assistant.

[MarCowMar]

Prokhorov should hire Becky Hammon. It'd play well in a liberal city. She could coach up what little talent they can drudge up from the D League and free agency. No one could blame her if things didn't go well.

She also has a history of betraying her people for Russian money. Offer her 5 million a year and she'll head right over.

[SAGirl]

I'd like Messina to see us through this season. It would be a bit traumatic to loose him midseason an He ha a goo rapport with players. I think he was a factor in us getting Boban.

It's tough to get on a team midseason anyways without training camp and without having had an opportunity to get acquainted with the staff and players.

The best scenario for him is to get hired but not start until after the season is over like Alvin Gentry.

[picnroll]

Brooklyn is the elephants graveyard of coaches. 8 coaches in 7 years. Top that with no assets and if I were an assistant coach with a decent possibility of landing a head coaches job I'd be Leary of going to the Nets and hitting my reputation.

[Chinook]

Messina seems willing to wait for a job. I don't see him jumping ship midseason, and I pretty much don't see him jumping ship at all for the Nets, although Hollins made them look worse. But I do think having a legit coach with Messina's track record is what the Nets are looking for. They don't care about fans yet; they care about free agents, and those guys will be more likely to sign on if they have a good coach in place -- especially one with Messian's reputation for teaching/explaining concepts.

[Chinook]

I though that Pop had agreed to stay as coach for at least LMA's tenure? If that's the case, then maybe the only coach left to replace Pop might by Becky Hammon.

Udoka

[bigfan]

I like the guy a lot but frankly if he is offered the job I wouldn't blame him for taking it right now. There are plenty of assistant coaches out there and maybe Udoka has done enough to move up the ladder as well.

[spursistan]

meh..way too shitty situation for Messina to jump in..There could be more far enticing openings this summer: Wizards/Raptors/Wolves.etc..Most Pop assistants head out East..Toronto is kind of international city, so i could see him fitting in perfectly..

[TheGreatYacht]

Isn't Messina a big part of why the defense is so good this season?

[Pauleta14]

Pop is the main reason by far imo, defense has more to do with attitude and energy than tactic.

[SAGirl]

Pop is the main reason by far imo, defense has more to do with attitude and energy than tactic.
Guys can play with energy and not know what they are doing. I do think Messina has helped this team. We had some young players who were doubtful on defense having positive impact. We had Boban who was questionable defensively despite his size improve a lot as he's gotten more playing time. Aldridge turned out better defensively than everyone thought. I see how he talks to players when they check out, Boban specially and unlike Pop who is always long-faced, I see him chearing and clapping over good plays. I just get the impression he can reach and connect with his players, which is a Pop trait I admire. Only Pop has a different personality of course, but I think Messina has indeed been impactful in a positive way.

I'd like him to see us through the season, but obviously wishing the best for him if it's time to move on. I don't think he is desperate though. He has another year in his contract and he gave an interview where he stated that if nothing materialized in the NBA he would return to Europe, so I think he's biding his time waiting for his best opportunity. Is this one it? I don't think so specially if it is midseason.

[houston spurs fan]

Mike Brown is available. They should have stuck with PJ

[Joseph Kony]

Messina is a good coach and being on the sidelines next to Pop only makes him more coveted. Since Pop will not be retiring before LMA's contract runs out, I would bet someone pries him away from the Spurs in this summer or next

[Holden_Caulfield]

might as well hire becky, that franchise isnt going anywhere anytime soon

[UNT Eagles 2016]

Prokhorov should hire Becky Hammon. It'd play well in a liberal city. She could coach up what little talent they can drudge up from the D League and free agency. No one could blame her if things didn't go well.

She also has a history of betraying her people for Russian money. Offer her 5 million a year and she'll head right over.

Can we get Becky's hot Italian girlfriend if Becky leaves?

[GSH]

Remember when everyone thought Prokhorov was going to come in with all his money and buy a championship contender? He should have built an organization first. And, yeah, hiring a coach before a GM has never worked out that I can remember. GM and coach really need to be on the same page. If they're fighting each other, the team suffers.

Pop has always encouraged his assistants to move on and move up. I don't think he would discourage Messina, but leaving mid-season is pretty poor form. Especially when you've got a serious championship-contending team. I also doubt that the Spurs would bring him back if he took the Nets job. If he wants to take over the Spurs, he needs to stay and be part of this system.

[cjw]

I'm not sure Lopez is such a bad fit to build around if he's healthy. He can score and if he's surrounded with the right players they can easily be back in the playoffs within 2 years.

Lets thank our lucky stars that the Thunder pulled the trigger on Kanter and not Lopez. Long term, Kanter may have more productive years ahead of him but is one of the worst defensive bigs we've seen in years.

[hsxvvd]

Just listening to the A to Z podcast suggesting the Nets should call in RC for the GM job!

[DMC]

How about Becky? Would the Nets be that brave?