Former Houston Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni has emerged as an assistant coaching candidate with the Brooklyn Nets, according to Frank Isola of The Athletic.
D’Antoni was the head coach of Phoenix Suns when Steve Nash was the point guard, winning back-to-back league MVPs. Nash was hired as coach of the Nets this past offseason.
Along with the report of D’Antoni potentially joining the Nets, he has also been linked to head-coaching vacancies with the New Orleans Pelicans and Indiana Pacers. But it seems as if both of those franchises are moving in a different direction.
D’Antoni also was said to be the lead candidate for the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason, with the vacancy reportedly being “his job to lose.” And lose it he did, as the Sixers instead hired Doc Rivers less than a week after Rivers was fired by the Los Angeles Clippers.
Los Angeles Lakers assistant Phil Handy has also been linked to the Nets. Handy was close with current Nets point guard Kyrie Irving when they were in Cleveland.