It appears the foundation of Jason Kidd’s coaching staff is beginning to be put in place.
Speaking at his pre-draft media availability yesterday, Nets general manager Billy King said the team is getting close to announcing the first additions to Kidd’s staff. It is approaching two weeks since the Nets legend was named the team’s head coach.
“Probably in the next couple days we’ll make announcements on some guys,” King said. “We’re pretty close on some guys.”
One of those guys who the Nets are “pretty close” to hiring is almost certainly Roy Rogers, who has worked with former Nets coach Lawrence Frank with the Pistons, Celtics and Nets. Rogers, the former first-round pick out of Alabama, is a well-respected big-man coach. Frank has been Kidd’s top choice to be the lead assistant on his staff.
In addition to Rogers and potentially Frank, King said the Nets would soon be speaking with the holdover assistant coaches from the previous regime, as well. Assistants Patrick Spurgin and Popeye Jones were on hand yesterday to help conduct the draft workouts, as was advance scout Brendan O’Connor. All three have been present at the team’s practice facility for workouts consistently since the season ended.
Fellow assistant Mario Elie, however, hasn’t been around, making it seem unlikely he will be part of the team moving forward.
* A league source confirmed the Nets have had preliminary discussions of a trade that would send guard MarShon Brooks to the Timberwolves.
Minnesota is in need of perimeter scoring, particularly at shooting guard — something Brooks, who shot 46.3 percent last season, can clearly provide — but the source said no deal is close to being completed.