Around the Nets: Ettore Messina the frontrunner for next Nets coach?

Around the Nets: Ettore Messina the frontrunner for next Nets coach?
Ettore Messina (AP)
Ettore Messina (AP)

Happy Tuesday. One Nets game left. Here’s the latest news and notes from around the ‘Nets:

  • Per Brian Lewis of the New York Post, Ettore Messina is a strong favorite to land the Nets coaching job this summer. He ticks a lot of boxes: he has a prior relationship with general manager Sean Marks (both worked with the Spurs) and owner Mikhail Prokhorov (he coached Prokhorov’s Russian squad CSKA Moscow to Euroleague championships), is a well-regarded assistant under Gregg Popovich, and has a strong pedigree despite never coaching in the NBA.

  • Our own Ben Nadeau put together an excellent at-the-buzzer recap of Nets-Wizards. But if all you’ve got is six seconds, this Vine should do.


  • With a loss tomorrow, the 21-60 Nets would guarantee themselves the third-worst record in the NBA, which would give them er, the Celtics, a 15.6% chance at the first overall pick. The NBA Draft Lottery will go down on May 17, and the draft itself will be held at Barclays Center on June 23rd.

  • Cool story: a Barclays Center usher who tore the house down doing the national anthem is now a finalist on NBC’s “The Voice”.

  • The dark side of living near Barclays Center and Atlantic Yards.