The Brooklyn Nets are 20-12 since interim head coach P.J. Carlesimo took over for Avery Johnson in late December, but higher-ups in the Nets organization are evaluating his job performance. After two ugly losses this weekend to the Dallas Mavericks and Chicago Bulls, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News reports that Carlesimo’s time may be short:
Carlesimo doesn’t have the support from ownership or the job security that commands respect or fosters patient, forward-thinking decisions. The company line of assessing Carlesimo’s interim status “at some point” isn’t exactly reassuring.
Johnson, who was fired in the last year of his deal, blamed his inability to reach these same Nets players on not having contractual leverage, and now Carlesimo is dangling by an interim label even more fragile.
Carlesimo’s response to the team’s struggles is to tinker with the rotation, whether that means “tightening up,” playing Andray Blatche as a power forward next to Brook Lopez, or increasing Mirza Teletovic’s minutes.
In a taping with YES Network’s CenterStage today, Carlesimo was asked if he’d have a shot at keeping his job if the Nets don’t win the NBA Finals. His response: “hopefully.”
