Confirmed: Nets Hire Billy King As Team President

[enetric]

Starting to fear what concerned me most about Avery in the first place. I have a problem with coaches that gain too much power and push for moves for the J.J.C. (Job Justification Program)

It will start with a power grab and end with a batch of dopey cap destroying signings where he says...THAT GUY...THAT'S the guy! Before you know it...he gets fired and you are stuck with 6 bad contract for 3 more years. God...I hope I am wrong....but I said it at the time...Outlaw sure didnt look like a Rod type of move.....

King emerging as Nets’ frontrunner
By Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports
1 hour, 48 minutes ago

Email Print Billy King has emerged as the frontrunner to become the next president of the New Jersey Nets, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

King met with ownership on Tuesday in New York and has the strong endorsement of outgoing president and general manager Rod Thorn and coach Avery Johnson. If the Nets hire King as president, sources said the team will likely promote vice president of basketball operations Bobby Marks to handle day-to-day GM duties.


Former Cleveland Cavaliers GM Danny Ferry also met with Nets official on Tuesday, but returned home to Ohio after the meetings without an offer. Sources said Ferry was uneasy with competing with King, his close friend and college teammate, and had mixed emotions about trying to beat him out for the job. Ferry is still a strong candidate for the Portland Trail Blazers’ GM vacancy.


King was GM of the Philadelphia 76ers from 1997 to 2007, where he had a mixed tenure of successes and failures. After making the NBA Finals in 2001, the Sixers ended up missing the playoffs three of his final four seasons before he was fired in 2007.


Whoever the Nets hire, there’s no mistaking that Johnson has gone out of his way to ingratiate himself with Russian ownership and usurped a great deal of power and authority for himself. Johnson was the driving force behind signing Travis Outlaw(notes) to a five-year, $35 million contract, sources said. Johnson has frightened off several potential president candidates, who simply didn’t want to deal with him as coach, sources said.
Johnson crushed the candidacy of former New Orleans Hornets executive Jeff Bower as the Nets potential GM two weeks ago.

[mikhailjordan]

I didn't want Avery to begin with, then I warmed up to him (he is a good coach it's the other stuff that scared me), and now I'm flat out pissed again.

Billy King is a terrible GM.

[vincecarter4pres]

Avery, I wish I had more hands, so I could give you 4 thumbs down.

[jerseyjac]

I friggin said it from the beginning...SOBBBB...Avery sucks balls...he's gonna kill us, I thought Thorn would of kept him in check, now we'll get to see first hand the real Avery Johnson, who probably forced Thorn to retire...

I never thought Outlaw was a Thorn move...Even while the NBA is overpaying FAs, I just cannot see Thorn saying, this is the contract I had in mind...I guarantee, Thorn tried to frontload two years of a lesser contract, Outlaw refused, Avery said I want him, Outlaw gets his money acrosss the contract and then some...You think he had better offers on the table?

And Billy King, come on, we're not serious here...It might get worse before it gets better...

[NewJerseyNet]

The Knicks are headed in a better diretion then us....
Yes I said it.
Yes we are screwed.
No I don't think I can take any more bad basketball, I pretty much stopped watching last season all together.
Maybe a repeat this year.

[jerseyjac]

The Knicks are headed in a better diretion then us....
Yes I said it.
Yes we are screwed.
No I don't think I can take any more bad basketball, I pretty much stopped watching last season all together.
Maybe a repeat this year.

well I think I missed 4 games last year total...as much as I dont agree with everything, this is one Nets fan that wont be going anywhere, its all about the ups and downs as a fan...when you're around for the low times, the hard times, it makes the good times that much better...

To me, you just defined a fairweather fan...I'll be watching and supporting the team no matter what, even if I have to tolerate Avery or watch another bad season or 2 or 3 seasons of inferior basketball...

maybe you should become a Knicks fan...

[jerseyjac]

Starting to fear what concerned me most about Avery in the first place. I have a problem with coaches that gain too much power and push for moves for the J.J.C. (Job Justification Program)

It will start with a power grab and end with a batch of dopey cap destroying signings where he says...THAT GUY...THAT'S the guy! Before you know it...he gets fired and you are stuck with 6 bad contract for 3 more years. God...I hope I am wrong....but I said it at the time...Outlaw sure didnt look like a Rod type of move.....

King emerging as Nets’ frontrunner
By Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports
1 hour, 48 minutes ago

Email Print Billy King has emerged as the frontrunner to become the next president of the New Jersey Nets, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

King met with ownership on Tuesday in New York and has the strong endorsement of outgoing president and general manager Rod Thorn and coach Avery Johnson. If the Nets hire King as president, sources said the team will likely promote vice president of basketball operations Bobby Marks to handle day-to-day GM duties.


Former Cleveland Cavaliers GM Danny Ferry also met with Nets official on Tuesday, but returned home to Ohio after the meetings without an offer. Sources said Ferry was uneasy with competing with King, his close friend and college teammate, and had mixed emotions about trying to beat him out for the job. Ferry is still a strong candidate for the Portland Trail Blazers’ GM vacancy.


King was GM of the Philadelphia 76ers from 1997 to 2007, where he had a mixed tenure of successes and failures. After making the NBA Finals in 2001, the Sixers ended up missing the playoffs three of his final four seasons before he was fired in 2007.


Whoever the Nets hire, there’s no mistaking that Johnson has gone out of his way to ingratiate himself with Russian ownership and usurped a great deal of power and authority for himself. Johnson was the driving force behind signing Travis Outlaw(notes) to a five-year, $35 million contract, sources said. Johnson has frightened off several potential president candidates, who simply didn’t want to deal with him as coach, sources said.
Johnson crushed the candidacy of former New Orleans Hornets executive Jeff Bower as the Nets potential GM two weeks ago.

I think Mik is giving Avery a chance to get it done, have his way with some players, but I agree...we'll then have the challenge of trading these guys once he gets fired...but I'll try personally to really not jump the gun on him or anyone else, but its pretty difficult...

[enetric]

I friggin said it from the beginning...SOBBBB...Avery sucks balls...he's gonna kill us, I thought Thorn would of kept him in check, now we'll get to see first hand the real Avery Johnson, who probably forced Thorn to retire...

I never thought Outlaw was a Thorn move...Even while the NBA is overpaying FAs, I just cannot see Thorn saying, this is the contract I had in mind...I guarantee, Thorn tried to frontload two years of a lesser contract, Outlaw refused, Avery said I want him, Outlaw gets his money acrosss the contract and then some...You think he had better offers on the table?

And Billy King, come on, we're not serious here...It might get worse before it gets better...

Cant pin Rod on Avery. Rod absolutely wanted Avery. But beyond that? Fear any coach on the J.J.C. They start living in the now...and ruin a franchise with it.

[enetric]

The Knicks are headed in a better diretion then us....
Yes I said it.
Yes we are screwed.
No I don't think I can take any more bad basketball, I pretty much stopped watching last season all together.
Maybe a repeat this year.

Your posts are getting on my nerves today. You are sounding whinny....

[NewJerseyNet]

The Knicks are headed in a better diretion then us....
Yes I said it.
Yes we are screwed.
No I don't think I can take any more bad basketball, I pretty much stopped watching last season all together.
Maybe a repeat this year.

well I think I missed 4 games last year total...as much as I dont agree with everything, this is one Nets fan that wont be going anywhere, its all about the ups and downs as a fan...when you're around for the low times, the hard times, it makes the good times that much better...

To me, you just defined a fairweather fan...I'll be watching and supporting the team no matter what, even if I have to tolerate Avery or watch another bad season or 2 or 3 seasons of inferior basketball...

maybe you should become a Knicks fan...

How very caty of you.
If you sat through last season I feel sorry for you. I wtched early and knew it was a Tank season of epic perportions. And if the Knicks are more watchable I'l be watching them based on the sole fact that I sat through almost an entire season of Marcus Williams. That was the worst sporting product I've ever witnessed, and before you make new ownership arguments, their name is still Nets, and they are still in New Jersey.

Meow.....

[jerseyjac]

I friggin said it from the beginning...SOBBBB...Avery sucks balls...he's gonna kill us, I thought Thorn would of kept him in check, now we'll get to see first hand the real Avery Johnson, who probably forced Thorn to retire...

I never thought Outlaw was a Thorn move...Even while the NBA is overpaying FAs, I just cannot see Thorn saying, this is the contract I had in mind...I guarantee, Thorn tried to frontload two years of a lesser contract, Outlaw refused, Avery said I want him, Outlaw gets his money acrosss the contract and then some...You think he had better offers on the table?

And Billy King, come on, we're not serious here...It might get worse before it gets better...

Cant pin Rod on Avery. Rod absolutely wanted Avery. But beyond that? Fear any coach on the J.J.C. They start living in the now...and ruin a franchise with it.

as much as its Rod's signing, you dont think anyone else had an influence...Mik and his camp, come on...Mik wants a coach who is on the same page as him and Thorn needs to deliver a coach who can coexist with Mik's camp...remember, Mik needs to put together a front office who can coexist, problem is I think Avery is selling something he cant deliver, but whoever it was, bought it...

[jerseyjac]

The Knicks are headed in a better diretion then us....
Yes I said it.
Yes we are screwed.
No I don't think I can take any more bad basketball, I pretty much stopped watching last season all together.
Maybe a repeat this year.

well I think I missed 4 games last year total...as much as I dont agree with everything, this is one Nets fan that wont be going anywhere, its all about the ups and downs as a fan...when you're around for the low times, the hard times, it makes the good times that much better...

To me, you just defined a fairweather fan...I'll be watching and supporting the team no matter what, even if I have to tolerate Avery or watch another bad season or 2 or 3 seasons of inferior basketball...

maybe you should become a Knicks fan...

How very caty of you.
If you sat through last season I feel sorry for you. I wtched early and knew it was a Tank season of epic perportions. And if the Knicks are more watchable I'l be watching them based on the sole fact that I sat through almost an entire season of Marcus Williams. That was the worst sporting product I've ever witnessed, and before you make new ownership arguments, their name is still Nets, and they are still in New Jersey.

Meow.....

Yeh sureeeeee...you and "Your Ideal World", can go swim across the river...because you did say it...and I dont feel sorry for you, one less Nets fan we dont need...

[jerseyjac]

I friggin said it from the beginning...SOBBBB...Avery sucks balls...he's gonna kill us, I thought Thorn would of kept him in check, now we'll get to see first hand the real Avery Johnson, who probably forced Thorn to retire...

I never thought Outlaw was a Thorn move...Even while the NBA is overpaying FAs, I just cannot see Thorn saying, this is the contract I had in mind...I guarantee, Thorn tried to frontload two years of a lesser contract, Outlaw refused, Avery said I want him, Outlaw gets his money acrosss the contract and then some...You think he had better offers on the table?

And Billy King, come on, we're not serious here...It might get worse before it gets better...

Cant pin Rod on Avery. Rod absolutely wanted Avery. But beyond that? Fear any coach on the J.J.C. They start living in the now...and ruin a franchise with it.

as much as its Rod's signing, you dont think anyone else had an influence...Mik and his camp, come on...Mik wants a coach who is on the same page as him and Thorn needs to deliver a coach who can coexist with Mik's camp...remember, Mik needs to put together a front office who can coexist, problem is I think Avery is selling something he cant deliver, but whoever it was, bought it...

btw, Avery is the president J.J.C., I just hope I'm wrong...though I do feel Mik understands the concept of overpaying and what type of players it takes to build a championship...I just think he's a little naive of being able to shed some of the contracts as easily as what we're piling...

But hey, its a 5yr plan...

[S.I.C. GM]

The Knicks are headed in a better diretion then us....
Yes I said it.
Yes we are screwed.
No I don't think I can take any more bad basketball, I pretty much stopped watching last season all together.
Maybe a repeat this year.

well I think I missed 4 games last year total...as much as I dont agree with everything, this is one Nets fan that wont be going anywhere, its all about the ups and downs as a fan...when you're around for the low times, the hard times, it makes the good times that much better...

To me, you just defined a fairweather fan...I'll be watching and supporting the team no matter what, even if I have to tolerate Avery or watch another bad season or 2 or 3 seasons of inferior basketball...

maybe you should become a Knicks fan...

Agreed.

I watched most of all the games last year. I think I missed 2 or 3 games. If I couldnt watch them I DVR them.

NETS FOR LIFE!!! Whether in NY or NJ. NETS FOR LIFE!!!!

As for Avery, I really hope he doesnt get a power trip. Even though I agree that Coaches should have some say on team personnel but management personnel that is going too far.

I dont know much about King but he was with the 76ers for years. I give him credit it must have been rough working with larry Brown, but I guess Avery knows that if he needs a player or type of player King will go out there and get it.

[monk302]

Avery Johnson is going to become a Cancer for this team.Guarantee you by January players will be asking for trades.Sounds like Billy King will become Avery's yes man!

[enetric]

Cant pin Rod on Avery. Rod absolutely wanted Avery. But beyond that? Fear any coach on the J.J.C. They start living in the now...and ruin a franchise with it.

as much as its Rod's signing, you dont think anyone else had an influence...Mik and his camp, come on...Mik wants a coach who is on the same page as him and Thorn needs to deliver a coach who can coexist with Mik's camp...remember, Mik needs to put together a front office who can coexist, problem is I think Avery is selling something he cant deliver, but whoever it was, bought it...

Of course I think Avery was a Mik guy. He gushes for him. But....to what you said before...I dont think Avery is why Rod is leaving. I think Rod is leaving because wants a chance of scenery. I think he is burnt out from the messages he is sending. I think people are looking for a soap opera...and of course because Rod is always vague...it is easy to go there. But sometimes...a duck really is a duck.

Sounds like Mik wants Rod. Rod and Mik like Avery. Avery likes Rod...Rod wants a change of pace...perhaps something else or somewhere else but not because of anyone or anything...just something new. Mik spoke to it in the media Q&A in detail.

So...all I am saying is...I dont think Rod have Avery forced on him....and I dont think ROd is leaving because of Avery. I think Rod would have signed off on Avery even if he was staying.

But..I would feel better about it if Rod was staying. Last thng I want to hear is someone who came in after Avery...getting bullied into bad decisions later for fear of the coach having more pull than he does. The J.J.P. is a bad thing. See any where LArry Brown has coached.

[SOUP]

Ah..... So Avery pushed the Travis Outlaw signing..... Now Billy King...... Billy effin King.

E, say something to cheer me up, quick.

[Talentfull]

So Billy King has officially been named our President...Suddenly our future outlook isn't looking too good either...I could see me having a very very heavy grudge towards Avery if this team makes no serious progress towards being a contender within the next 5 years. I love Rod to death but I'll hate him too, simply because he said he wanted to stay and get this thing turned around. Now he's leaving and turning things over to Avery and Billy King? Disaster.

[mikhailjordan]

Billy King doesn't have the balls to pull a big trade. Take any Chris Paul or Carmelo Anthony pipedream and flush it down the toilet right now.

Hell take any trade idea you had for an all-star caliber player and tear it up RIGHT NOW.

And yes before any of you ask.

I'm mad...

[60cent]

What is going on here? Cheer up and be positive guys... We just hired an aggressive defensive oriented coach and thats all what it is. He is not going to jeoperdize the future of this team because Prokhorov is getting his advise from a different person very close to him that knows a lot about the NBA, too bad my mind is blank right now and i forgot his name.

Im not really worried about the King signing because we hired him for his basketball knowledge and his eye for talent, not for decision making and other transactions. Of course Prokhorov knows that he has a great track record drafting young players and thats a big reason why he's here, and maybe another mind for a little advise when it comes to trading and signing good FA wont hurt.

I think the Outlaw signing is something they want to take advantage of right after LeBron dissed us and before other teams with a SF need steps up and grab him for more money. I cant blame them trying to sign someone quick, whose position is an integral part of Avery's system (Josh Howard), because, remember, there are teams who's going spend like crazy. Im sure you've heard of Matthews... Ew!

Just curious, if we didnt sign Outlaw, who do you guys have in mind as a FA, in about the same deal, same position thats going to make us better? Right now i really cant think of anybody who is also young and had the potential before injury. Sure it may not look like a Thorn signing but things change you know especially if you know you have more money now. Heck, Thorn signed Najera with that crazy contract even when they didnt have money and very cautious about spendng.

GO NETS!!

Congratulations BK!!! (ima give you a chance brother)