Kiki Done As Nets’ GM
May 19, 2010 Kiki Vandeweghe
As reported by Dave D’Alessandro today:
Kiki Vandeweghe’s days as Nets general manager are numbered.
New owner Mikhail Prokhorov said as much this morning in a brunch with reporters, when the subject of management was raised.
Asked specifically about Vandeweghe, Prokhorov replied “His contract is up, and I wish him luck.”
Earlier, Prokhorov reiterated that he is negotiating an extension for team president Rod Thorn.
Kiki was put in a tough situation this season, but this was pretty much a done deal since the whole Del Harris situation. Kiki was never a coach before and he really took a hit to his reputation for the good of the team (and he did a great job during the rebuilding process – dumping salary and getting young guys on their rookie deals), so it is a little sad to see him go, but this is a must.
Nets on the Net: 4/16/10 Edition
Apr 16, 2010 Devin Harris, Kiki Vandeweghe, Nets on the Net, Newark, Terrence Williams
Terrence Williams is the league’s Rookie of the Month.
Your sophomore of the year, if there was such an award: Brook Lopez (ESPN insider access only).
Which five Nets ballers were out partying in Miami until the wee hours before their season finale Wednesday? Check the Post’s page six for scintillating details.
NetsDaily points out that the Nets have removed the words “New Jersey” in the architect’s renderings of the Newark court.
Al Iannazzone runs down where the Nets need to improve this off-season. Uh… everywhere?
Kki Vandeweghe’s role with the organization may be uncertain, but it’s business as usual for him: “I’m a little bit looking forward to getting back to my day job and preparing for the draft,” Vandeweghe said after the Nets’ 94-86 double-overtime loss to the Heat in their season finale. “I’m excited about that.”
Devin Harris plans to be here next season: “Increase our size up front, become better defensively. We didn’t shoot a high percentage, got outrebounded,” said Harris, acting as if he’s staying whether or not John Wall is drafted. “We don’t know what management’s doing or if they get the No. 1 pick. I’m going to prepare like I’m going to be here.”
Nets on the Net: 4/13/10 Edition
Apr 13, 2010 Draft, Izod Center, Kiki Vandeweghe, Mikhail Prokhorov, Nets on the Net, Terrence Williams
Al Iannazzone of this season’s Nets and the Meadowlands: This has been the sorriest season in Nets’ history and their 8-33 home record is their worst ever. But they leave Izod with a lifetime 654-518 mark. Their most glorious times came during the past decade when Jason Kidd led them to back-to-back NBA Finals and four Atlantic Division titles. But there was very little nostalgia for the farewell.
ESPN’s Chris Sheridan has some gems in his write-up of the Meadowlands: Outgoing Nets coach Kiki Vandeweghe reminisced about how Knicks fans used to pack the building and drown out the Nets faithful when he played for New York, and longtime New York Post beat writer Fred Kerber (who called the arena “Hades” earlier this season) had a chuckle as he recalled how he once scored two tickets for his friends, who found themselves seated alone in section 234 in the upper deck and were told by an usher to keep their voices down despite the fact they were cheering for the Nets.
Fred Kerber talks to Nets fans about their final impressions of the Izod Center.
Bruce Ratner reacts to New Jersey Congressman Bill Pascrell’s challenge of the sale of the Nets to Mikhail Prokhorov: “Everything is in great shape,” said Ratner, who called Pascrell’s accusation “inaccurate.”
Larry Brown seems sorry to see the Nets leave New Jersey: “When I was in Detroit, we had one of our greatest wins in this building, which is pretty special, when the Nets were really good,” he added, referring to the Pistons’ 2004 playoff triumph on their way to the championship. “I hate to see the Nets leave New Jersey, especially with that new building (in Newark available) that they’re going to.”
Terrence Williams on the final games of the season: “It’s important to win every game, definitely the last game,” said rookie Terrence Williams, who had 21 points, 13 boards and six assists. “[Moving] isn’t going to wash [the recent losing] away, but it definitely helps, especially if you come out and play well and start winning. You start winning, it puts it in the back of peoples’ minds and go forward from there.”
Another column arguing John Wall or Evan Turner.
Blogger Mark Travis sings the praises of Terrence Williams.
The End of the Road for Kiki
Apr 3, 2010 Kiki Vandeweghe, Opinion
The storyline emanating from the beat writers is the future prospects, or lackthereof of GM/head coach Kiki Vandeweghe. With incoming owner Mikhail Prokhorov more or less confirming that Rod Thorn and Brett Yormark are going to stick around as President and CEO, and rumors circulating that Andrei Vatuin, who worked with Prokhorov with CSKA Moscow, may be joining the Nets’ front office, the status of Kiki has been ominously quiet.
“I was brought in initially to help rebuild the team,” Vandeweghe told Fred Kerber in the Post. “We had some success doing that in Denver and Dallas. I’m proud of the things we’ve got going.
The fact that the Nets are finally starting to play better basketball in the season’s last 6 weeks makes Kiki look like less of a pollyanna for saying this. However, for the most part, his tenure as both GM and coach he been a disaster filled with drama and underachieving. But is it Kiki’s fault? Dave D’Alessandro plays devil’s advocate:
There are no good ways to play this for a guy who never considered himself anything but a team-builder, one who was resistant to taking over as head coach for the first time in his career back on Dec. 2.
But Vandeweghe can’t say he didn’t sign up for this. He can’t say that the franchise was too cheap to go out and find an experienced guy, which everyone knows was the case. He can’t even say that he hated what he has endured these last four months, because the opposite is true — he got a kick out of coaching.
From my own perspective, I always found it odd that if Prokhorov is judging strictly on performance here, that Kiki is a goner while Thorn stays. Thorn is as much responsible for this mess as Kiki is. While I do have a soft spot for Thorn primarily for what he did with the organization in the early 2000s, and I think some of his draft picks (Marcus Williams, Antoine Wright) are unfairly assailed due to 20-20 hindsight, perhaps if Thorn did a better job building the depth of this team below Kidd, Jefferson and Carter, this team wouldn’t have been challenging for the worst of all time for a majority of this season.
Nets on the Net: 3/25/10 Edition
Mar 25, 2010 Devin Harris, Kiki Vandeweghe, Nets on the Net
Well, you can say one thing about Brett Yormark. He knows how to save face: The Nets had a “Bag Exchange” Wednesday night, when all fans were invited to turn in their bags for a nylon bag with the Nets logo on it, and a note from Yormark himself. The note read, “Thanks for letting us see your face, we hope we see it more often at Nets games – Regards, Brett Yormark.”
Kiki Vandeweghe thanked his mother, who passed away Wednesday, after last night’s victory, according to Al Iannazzone’s recap.
Devin Harris on Kiki and the game: “We wanted it for him.”
I appreciate that the Nets are challenging for the worst recording in NBA history, but why after every Nets win, we need to read a quote like this from the opposition: “So far, by miles and miles, our worst game of the year in every way,” said mortified Kings coach Paul Westphal.
Nets on the Net: 2/15/10 Edition
Feb 15, 2010 Jay-Z, Kiki Vandeweghe, LeBron James, Mikhail Prokhorov, Nets on the Net, Rod Thorn
Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting that Rod Thorn will likely not fire Kiki Vandeweghe for the alleged under the table deal he made with Del Harris to become head coach of the Nets. Meanwhile, Tom Barrise, is headed to coach Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Rod Thorn is on his way to Vancouver to meet with Mikhail Prokhorov, while those back in New Jersey are working on getting the Nets to Newark next season.
Jerry Colangelo told the Daily News he is interested in a return to the NBA under certain conditions: “I would have to have full autonomy,” Colangelo told the Daily News. “I’m not looking to become a general manager. But if the right job came along I’d be willing to talk to anyone. Life is all about opportunities.”
Jay-Z and LeBron James threw an after party during All-Star weekend which Rod Thorn attended.
Looking at the business side of basketball, the New York Times reports that it’s unlikely that LeBron James would help the stock of MSG, a recent spinoff of Cablevision owners of the Knicks, trading on the NASDAQ.
Nets on the Net 2/11/10 Edition
Feb 11, 2010 Brook Lopez, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Coaching, Kiki Vandeweghe, Kris Humphries, Mikhail Prokhorov, Nets on the Net
First a programming note. I understand I missed “Hump Day” yesterday. My brain is still a little scrambled from basically moving from one end of New York City to the other. Hopefully, next week I’ll remember it’s Wednesday and you’ll be able to start in Hump’s dreamy eyes again.
Over at ESPN’s Daily Dime, our boy Sebastian writes about Brook Lopez’s selection to the 2010-2012 Men’s National Basketball Team.
With the arena all but empty last night, Al Iannazzone captures some color from the fans: There were chants of “CD-R,” who didn’t play until garbage time, and one fan screamed, “Kiki, fire yourself.” In this setting, Vandeweghe had to have heard it. You could hear everything the fans were saying.
Meanwhile, on the agenda this weekend in Dallas, Rod Thorn will meet with Mikhail Prokhorov over dinner to discuss how those two can turn the Nets around.
So the shameless endless marketing of the Nets continues as the newest promotion is courtesy of Zappo’s: enter to win to be coach of the Nets for the day alongside Kiki Vandeweghe. Of course, the contest doesn’t explain what happens if Kiki gets canned in the next couple of weeks. Maybe if you win, they’ll just let you be the coach without a proper assistant.
For those of you with ESPN Insider, David Thorpe does his usual rookie/sophomore rankings but combines them this week in advance of All-Star Weekend. Thorpe determines that Brook Lopez is the No. 1 rookie/soph in the NBA currently.
Rick Pitino is apparently lobbying the Nets for their head coaching job. Rod Thorn is denying it.
Tom Robinson of the Virginian-Pilot writes about the Nets being on pace for all-time futility and includes the line of the day in his column: I’m not a Nets hater. Trying to think, but I can’t remember a time when I was more than vaguely aware there was a Nets.
Come to think of it, what’s the Virgnian-Pilot and how do they have a columnist dedicated to the general NBA in this world of shrinking print media?
The Circus in the Swamp
Feb 10, 2010 Del Harris, Kiki Vandeweghe, Opinion, Rod Thorn
As if watching the Nets chase all-time infamy wasn’t bad enough for fans, those working in the front office appear to be emulating the comically inept and embarrassing play on the hardwood – to the point that the resignation of an interim assistant coach has seemingly exposed the complete and utter chaos that has swallowed this organization.
The recent and unexpected resignation of Del Harris as assistant coach has produced somewhat conflicting stories regarding the circumstances behind his departure. The Star-Ledger’s Dave D’Alessandro reported earlier this week that Harris’s agent asked team President Rod Thorn about Del becoming the next head coach, returning Kiki Vandeweghe to the GM spot, an idea which Thorn rejected. A Peter Vescey report from Tuesday, says that Kiki, Harris and Harris’ agent allegedly concocted a plan behind unbeknownst to Thorn where Harris was promised the head coaching spot later this season, moving Kiki back to GM, where he could hypothetically prove his worth before the house cleaning that is certain to commence when Mikhail Prokhorov takes over as owner.
This morning, Al Iannazzone reported that Thorn is now investigating the details from the Vescey report. If a side deal was made behind Thorn’s back, Kki could get the axe.
All of these stories contain elements that are both plausible and outrageous. Regardless of who’s got the story right here, what ties all of these accounts together is the reported lack of cohesion in the front office.
Nets on the Net: 2/10/10 Edition
Feb 10, 2010 Chris Douglas-Roberts, Del Harris, Kiki Vandeweghe, Mikhail Prokhorov, Nets on the Net
Al Iannazzone rehashes more about the Del Harris resignation situation (read NAS’s take on it later today).
Chris Douglas-Roberts was asked about his DNP-CD last night and he confirmed he was in fact ready to play if needed: “It is what it is,” he said.
Will Leitch, formerly of Deadspin fame, now of New York magazine, lets the Knicks know that it’s okay: they could be the Nets.
Paul Jones of Sportsnet Canada wonders if Bryan Colangelo of the Raptors might jump ship to the Nets once Mikhail Prokhorov takes over.
Former Net Ed O’Bannon is making progress in his lawsuit against the NCAA.
Revisiting Kiki’s Style Of Play
Feb 5, 2010 Advanced Statistics, Kiki Vandeweghe
In early December, exactly 8 games into Kiki’s tenure as head coach, we looked at his team’s playing style. A style that was completely different to what Lawrence Frank was doing. If you don’t feel like going back through the post, here is the spreadsheet:
