Jerry Colangelo Wants to Run an NBA Team Again

Naturally, the New York-area media automatically assumes this means there’s a chance Jerry will run the Nets one day soon: “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.’ Colangelo, a highly respected power broker within NBA circles, says he had not spoken with Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, who will become the Nets’ new owner. There have been various reports that Colangelo is Prokhorov’s first choice to run the club. Moreover, there is a belief that Colangelo, the director of USA Basketball, would then hire USA Basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski to become the Nets’ coach and GM. Krzyzewski, who once turned down the chance to coach Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, recently said he has no interest in the Nets job. That could change if Colangelo is installed as the president of the team. The presence of Colangelo and Krzyzewski could be a dynamic combination for a Nets team that could have between $25 million and $30 million in salary cap space this summer.”