#Nets Update: Would Jeff Van Gundy Fit For The Nets?

Interesting comments by Jeff Van Gundy on the national telecast  of the Nets blowout loss to the Knicks almost 10 days ago makes me think otherwise about his coaching interest in Brooklyn.  What do you think?

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Dave D’Alessandro/Star-Ledger Columnist

Wednesday, December 19, 2012, 11:36 PM  

Funny thing: Back then, whenever someone said “best PG,” you automatically thought Chris Paul and D-Will — zero debate. Now, Derrick Rose, Kyrie Irving and Rajon Rondo reside at the top of that list, and Deron Williams barely cracks the top 10.

“You could easily argue that Raymond Felton is having a better year than Deron,” a former D-3 point guard named Jeff Van Gundy said before this game last night.

Then the ESPN analyst said this: “I’m trying to figure out how this guy, who was among the very best point guards, is shooting the ball so poorly — and it’s not just this year.

“I mean, does he work at it? For all we’ve heard lately from him by way of explanations, eventually shouldn’t you look in the mirror?”

Van Gundy mentioned that he asked you whether being on poor teams affected how you work, and you replied, “No.” You know where that was going: JVG’s favorite work-ethic cautionary tale is about Derek Harper arriving in New York in ’94, and needing Pat Riley to “coach the Dallas out of him.”

See, Harper thought he worked hard, and everyone was thrilled to have him, but he had picked up a laundry list of bad habits with the then-horrid Mavs. He had to be told the stakes had changed, and he had to change with them. It took a while, but ultimately Harp led the Knicks to the NBA Finals.

Anyway, you told Van Gundy that no such lag exists with you — that the 25-42 on your Nets record does not affect your prep in any way. And he believed you.