As NBA training camps get set to open in two days, the New Jersey Nets are a team rumored to be involved in trade talks and free agent 
recruitment. Though that is all speculation, former San Antonio Spurs guard and current Nets coach Avery Johnson has got two members added to his team. Though, they’re not necessarily players.
According to the Nets’ official website, the Nets have added former Spurs assistant coach P.J. Carlisemo and former Spur Mario Elie to Johnson’s staff.
The coach has already reshuffled his bench, adding two new assistants to replace Sam Mitchell and Larry Krystkowiak: NBA stalwart P.J. Carlesimo, who spent last year with the Raptors, and a former teammate, Mario Elie, who spent the last two seasons with the Kings. They join incumbents Popeye Jones, Tom Barrise and Doug Overton.
As Johnson now has a line of great defensive coaches with the right winning mentality, there’s still a lot of work to do on the players side. Though all three coaches had the opportunity to play or coach Tim Duncan, the Spurs’ main star at the time, they weren’t facing a situation like they’re facing now with guard Deron Williams.
As the free agency summer of 2012 draws nearer, Williams has yet to sign an extension and most likely will not if th team doesn’t pickup any star power to make them competitive in the Eastern Conference.
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