April 14, 200422 yr ESPN.com NEW YORK -- New Jersey Nets interim coach Lawrence Frank will be back with the team next season, the New York Daily News reported Wednesday. Frank will have the interim tag lifted after the season, no matter how the Nets do in the playoffs, three anonymous sources told the newspaper. Team president Rod Thorn also is expected to negotiate a new contract for Frank, according to a source. The team holds an option until June 30 to bring Frank back next season. Thorn, who has praised Frank's preparation and coaching ability, would neither confirm nor deny the decision. "As I said before, that will take care of itself," Thorn told the Daily News. "At this time, I'm only thinking of the playoffs, not worried about anything else. I think that is how he looks at it, too." Frank, 33, set a record for major professional sports in North America by starting his coaching career 13-0 when he replaced the fired Byron Scott on Jan. 26. Since the fast start, the Nets (47-34) are only 12-14 under Frank but hold the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs as the Atlantic Division champs. The players have made it clear that they want Frank to be the team's coach next season. "Everybody wants him back," All-Star point guard Jason Kidd told the newspaper. "His record is unbelievable, what he has accomplished, winning 13 in a row as a head coach -- his debut." Added All-Star forward Kenyon Martin: "He deserves it. He works extremely hard. For someone that works as hard as he does, he deserves a shot." The Nets end the regular season Wednesday at Miami. The NBA playoffs begin Saturday, and New Jersey will open the postseason playing host to either New York or New Orleans.
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