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Various reports indicate that the Nets are pursuing Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski as the team's next head coach and GM.
Mikhail Prokhorov, set to become the Nets new owner later this month, is a Russian billionaire who enjoys traveling the world with a bevy of women, misplacing his yacht and freestyle jet-skiing. And for his next trick, he is prepared to offer Mike Krzyzewski $12 to $15 million a year to coach New Jersey, according to a report from Al Iannazzone via our Nets blog, NetsDaily.
If Mikhail Prokhorov has his way, Mike Krzyzewski will be coaching his last collegiate game Monday night against Butler. Al Iannazzone reports that Prokhorov will waste no time once approved later this month and offer the Duke coach a contract worth between $12 and $15 million a year. Under one scenario, Krzyzewski would serve as both head coach and general manager.
According to Iannazzone, an NBA executive told him, “You’ve got a high-profile owner who is going to want a high-profile coach."
This report comes more than a month after the Nets were originally rumored to be interested in Krzyzewsk, to which the Duke coach responded, “No one’s contacted me. If they do, I think ‘nyet’ would be easy for me to say.”
Apparently Prokhorov does not take 'no' for an answer.
Yahoo!’s Adrian Wojnarowski explains why this whole Mike Krzyzewski-to-NJ thing might be a real possibility, and it starts with new Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov naming Jerry Colangelo team president. Colangelo has close ties to Coach K thanks to his position as director of USA Basketball:
[T]here’s a growing belief that Prokhorov could be turning his gaze toward Colangelo’s father, Jerry, to hire as New Jersey’s president.The reasoning would be simple. This way, Prokhorov could have the executive capable of delivering him the biggest, shiniest coach available to the Nets: Duke’s Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski. […]
Krzyzewski’s close personal relationship with Colangelo and a chance to construct an NBA franchise with virtually unmatched resources in the world’s biggest market would probably have to give him pause.
Those unmatched resources could be spent on this summer’s wealth of high profile free agents, which — as you may have heard — includes LeBron James. As Woj points out, Prokhorov is a big thinker and an even bigger spender, so the potential for quick improvement in New Jersey is something Coach K would have to consider.
Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski is apparently tops on the Nets want-list for the team's next head coach, according to various reports. The reports also indicate that Coach K would be the team's GM, as well. Via Sporting News:
"He's the Nets' first choice," an NBA source told the Record newspaper of Bergen County, N.J.. "It comes down to if he wants to leave Duke and his comfortable setting and take on a new challenge."
Of course, therein lies the issue: Does Coach K want to leave the top of the college basketball ranks to restart at the bottom of the NBA heap? As recently as six years ago, he turned down the Lakers, which is obviously a more desirable job than coaching in New Jersey. Although since then, he's spent a considerable amount of time coaching NBA players for the U.S. National Team, where he's had great success. The present day Dream Team is certainly a far cry from the '09-'10 Nets.
Krzyzewski is the second college coach to be linked to the Nets this week. On Thursday, rumors swirled that Louisville coach Rick Pitino was interested in the job, a report the coach quickly denied.
Krzyzewski: I Have No Interest In Nets
“I haven’t been contacted,” the coach said today, hours before his Blue Devils take on Butler in the NCAA title game. “I wouldn’t have any interest in the job. You would be flattered if someone would offer you a job, but I would not be interested.”
The Bergen Record of New Jersey reported Monday that the new Nets owner, Mikhail Prokhorov would be willing to offer Coach K $12-$15 million, which would make him the highest-paid coach in the league.
Apr 05 2:47p by Ian Begley - 0 comments