Adrian Wojnarowski

Jeff Van Gundy interested in Nets' coaching opening, under one condition
20 minutes ago...

While Jeff Van Gundy does have interest in the Brooklyn Nets' opening, he'll be likely unwilling to meet with team officials while an interim coach is in place during the season, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Brooklyn hasn't contacted Van Gundy, but sources said he's one of several candidates, including assistant Kelvin Sampson, that are on the organization's short list.

The Nets haven't reached out to Van Gundy, but he's well regarded on every level of the organization's ownership and management charts.

Brooklyn fired coach Avery Johnson on Thursday.

Van Gundy has never met with an organization that had a coach in place as part of his personal code, and has respect for P.J. Carlesimo's status. It is likely that the Nets would have to wait until season's end to meet with Van Gundy about the job.

[Related: Rockets assistant Kelvin Sampson candidate for Nets' coaching job]

Van Gundy, who led the New York Knicks to the NBA Finals in 1999, is a popular figure in New York basketball.

When Van Gundy was the Knicks' interim coach, Phil Jackson met with his bosses and Van Gundy vowed to never let that happen with him. As the son of a lifetime small-college coach, Bill Van Gundy, he considers it part of the profession's code.

Van Gundy turned down the Nets before Avery Johnson was hired in 2010. One issue that made the job unappealing to Van Gundy is now gone: The understanding that he would have to move his family to New Jersey for two years in Newark, and then displace them again with a move to Brooklyn.

Van Gundy, who also coached the Rockets, had conversations with them about a possible return in 2010, but the dialogue never went too far, sources said. Houston hired Kevin McHale. Before Toronto hired Dwane Casey that summer, GM Bryan Colangelo reached out to Van Gundy about the Raptors job, league sources said.

So far, Van Gundy has resisted leaving his Houston residence while his oldest daughter was still in high school. He currently does television work for ABC.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--jeff-van-gundy-a-possible-contender-for-nets--coaching-opening--002144015.html
I hope he doesn't go to the Nets. Rumor is he would hire Ew also.