A Russian billionaire and a coaching lifer from Scranton, Pa., walked into a Greek restaurant, providing the setup for a corny punch line or perhaps an agenda for the future of the Nets. Or maybe it was just a lunch.
Either way, P. J. Carlesimo, the Nets' newly installed interim coach, had his first extensive meeting Saturday with Mikhail D. Prokhorov, the Nets' owner, who is contemplating his next move after firing Coach Avery Johnson last week.
They met for two hours Saturday at Milos, in Midtown Manhattan — along with General Manager Billy King and Dmitry Razumov, Prokhorov's chief liaison to the team — and discussed a variety of topics over a large platter of Mediterranean fare.
"We talked about the team, and we talked about the food and restaurants and stuff," Carlesimo said Saturday night before the Nets scratched out a tense 103-100 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers at Barclays Center.
Carlesimo was guarded about the conversation, particularly as it pertained to his status and the Nets' coaching search. But he said he left with a firm sense of Prokhorov's priorities.
"That he wants to win a championship," Carlesimo said. "That he's willing to do whatever it takes to win a championship. That he's got a good understanding of our team and the N.B.A.
"I think if we would keep winning games, that would be good," Carlesimo added, deadpan. "Definitely prefers winning."
The Nets are preparing to make a determined run at Phil Jackson, by far the best coach on the market and their only target for the moment, people monitoring the process have said. There has been no contact yet between the parties, although a conversation is expected sometime after New Year's Day. Jackson is open to meeting with Prokhorov, but his interest in the job — or a return to coaching, period — is far from certain, according to friends.
For now, Carlesimo has the burden of reviving the Nets after a tailspin that cost Johnson his job. The Nets (16-14) took another positive step with Saturday's victory, although it was unnecessarily suspenseful. The Nets took an early 15-point lead, squandered most of it and had to fight off the lowly Cavaliers (7-25) until the end. The victory was not secured until Kyrie Irving missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Brook Lopez again powered the Nets' offense, scoring a season-high 35 points, going 13 for 20 from the field and adding 11 rebounds. Deron Williams had 15 points and 7 assists.
The Nets were outscored over the final three quarters, but they never lost the lead after going ahead by double digits in the first. C. J. Miles kept the Cavaliers in the game with his 3-point shooting, converting a career-high 8 of 10 attempts and finishing with 33 points.
The Nets depart Sunday for a tough three-game trip that begins with stops in San Antonio and in Oklahoma City. But the schedule is easier from there, giving Carlesimo the chance to put the Nets on a winning track.
If Prokhorov fails to land Jackson, it is conceivable that he could keep Carlesimo for the rest of the season. The field of candidates beyond Jackson is not particularly compelling, and all of them will probably still be available after the season.
So unless Jackson takes the job, there may be no urgency to make a change until the off-season.
"I think it's available," Carlesimo said of the job. "I think we need to win. And there's also coaches that are available. And that's not something I have any control over."
Of course, a signature from Jackson would change everything.
Jackson would have to be convinced that the Nets have championship potential. Even then, he might be hesitant to take the job midseason, without the benefit of a training camp to start teaching the triangle offense, the system he has used through 11 championship runs. The offense is complicated and can take several months for a team to assimilate. It would be nearly impossible to install now, with the Nets fighting just to stay in the playoff hunt.
It is therefore possible that Jackson could give Prokhorov a mixed answer: not no and not yes, but simply "not yet."
REBOUNDS
Josh Childress was waived Saturday night at his request. Childress, 29, never established a regular role after signing with the Nets last summer. He appeared in five games this month and concluded that he would be better off elsewhere. He met with Billy King before the game to ask for his release. Childress had a nonguaranteed contract that would have become fully guaranteed had he remained on the roster Jan. 10. Waiving Childress leaves the Nets with 14 players, one short of the maximum. They could look to pick up a free agent once teams start cutting players in advance of the Jan. 10 guarantee deadline. ...Kris Humphries missed his fourth straight game because of a mild abdominal strain. He is unlikely to play Monday in San Antonio, but he might return to practice Tuesday.
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