Nets to speak with “top candidate” Brian Shaw about head coach vacancy

In the beginning of May, Indiana Pacers President Donnie Walsh said he’d give the Brooklyn Nets permission to speak with Pacers assistant Brian Shaw about their vacant head coaching position once the season ended. It appears the Pacers made good on that promise.

The Nets officially have permission from the Pacers to speak with Shaw about the position, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Shaw is considered the team’s #1 target for the position, with Memphis Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins also in the mix.

The Nets are expected to meet with him sooner rather than later.

Shaw has been an assistant coach since his retirement as a player in 2004, first with the Los Angeles Lakers until 2011 and then as an “Associate Head Coach” with the Pacers under Frank Vogel.

He is also considered the #1 target for the vacant Los Angeles Clippers position. Basically, Brian Shaw gets to choose between making millions in Los Angeles coaching Blake Griffin & Chris Paul, or making millions in Brooklyn coaching Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, & Brook Lopez. Not a bad life.

Yahoo! Sports — Sources: Nets granted permission to speak with Pacers’ Brian Shaw about head-coaching job