Vernon Bryant/Dallas Morning News/Corbis
According to ESPN, the New Jersey Nets have a new head coach: Former Dallas Mavericks coach Avery Johnson.
The Nets, coming off a season that narrowly avoided being the worst in NBA history, have finally caught a break. After failing to win the #1 pick in the NBA Draft, seeing their future stadium be the subject of a nearly-endless series of legal battles and having their new owner pop up in wacky magazine profiles, the team has filled a position that had lain vacant since November. (Former head coach Lawrence Frank was fired after a 0-16 start; GM Kiki Vandeweghe filled in for the rest of the season.)
Johnson previously led the Mavericks to four consecutive postseason appearances and one Finals trip, and won Coach of the Year in 2006 — but was fired in 2008 after his talented team underperformed in the playoffs two years in a row.