Nets president Rod Thorn said on Thursday that he will begin interviewing coaching candidates over the next "couple of weeks" but also said it's unlikely that Phil Jackson would be part of that process.

"I don't see him leaving there," Thorn said. "I think he will probably stay there until he retires."

Jackson's girlfriend Jeanie Buss made very revealing comments on Thursday.

"I know Phil will be coaching next year, somewhere," said Buss, the daughter of Lakers owner Jerry Buss. "Whether it's here or someplace else I don't know. There's going to be a lot of good jobs that come up this summer."

Nets owner Bruce Ratner agreed last week to pay $3 million to the last Atlantic Yards holdout, which should speed up Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov's take over of the team.

Ratner paid Daniel Goldstein $3 million to move out of his Brooklyn apartment by May 7. Delays in the construction of the Barclays Center were costing the developer a reported $6.7 million a month.

"The state's rush to push me out was to serve Prokhorov's interests and the Nets' interests and not the public interest," Goldstein told the New York Daily News.

"It had everything to do with Prokhorov and ownership of Nets. It didn't have anything to do with housing or jobs."

The Nets are looking to upgrade at power forward, which could mean the end for Yi Jianlian in New Jersey, according to the New York Daily News.

Kiki Vandeweghe, Yi's main supporter, is no longer coaching the team, making it easier for the Nets to phase the forward out of the lineup or even trade him.

NBA commissioner David Stern thinks there's a "fair chance" Mikhail Prokhorov will represent the Nets at next month's Draft Lottery.

Prokhorov is waiting for his purchase of the Nets to be approved, which the league expects to happen in mid-May.

The Draft Lottery is scheduled for May 18 in Secaucus, N.J.

"If I had to guess, I think there's a fair chance he'll be representing the Nets at the lottery," Stern said while speaking to the Associated Press on Thursday.

Jeff Van Gundy isn't interested in coaching the Nets, or any other team, according to his brother, Magic coach Stan Van Gundy.

Before coaching the Magic in a playoff game against the Bobcats Wednesday night, Stan Van Gundy told Fanhouse.com that it is clear to him that his TV brother is unlikely to be pacing any sideline in the near future.

"He hasn't shown any great interest in getting back in," Stan Van Gundy said before Game 2.

"His family is happy the way it is now, and I'm not sure uprooting them now is what he wants to do," Stan Van Gundy said. "He hasn't shown any inclination to do that. He likes what he's doing - spending a lot of time with the family - and he works 50 days a year, which isn't a bad job."

Other candidates include former Mavericks coach Avery Johnson and Boston assistant Tom Thibodeau, who was formerly an assistant for Jeff Van Gundy.

The Nets have sold 30% of the luxury suites at the Barclays Center, the Brooklyn arena that is under construction and that will be the team's new home in 2012.

On the tops of New York City taxi cabs, the Nets are advertising sales of the remaining luxury suites with the
slogan "Your Home Away From Home."  

Brett Yormark, the Nets' chief executive, explains that the team is trying to create buzz.

"It?s not that you get a lot of calls, but you want to create some talk value," said Yormark. "We?re going to build a brand."

Nets president Rod Thorn has begun the process of finding the team's next head coach.

Thorn said on Monday that he expects to return to the team next season.

"The real work for this franchise starts now. No. 1, you get a coach. No. 2 is you see what will transpire in free agency. No. 3, [work with] some of our players who have improved that will stand us in good stead as we go forward," said Thorn. "We're concerned about the draft right now, looking for a coach."

Thorn claims that he has yet to interview any candidates.

One rival executive said he feels Thorn likely will put a premium on past playing experience.

"I could see Rod going for an assistant, especially one who has played," the executive said. "Rod likes former players."

The Nets have a team option on the contract of Chris Douglas-Roberts for next season.

The option is worth $854,000 and current New Jersey president Rod Thorn says that a decision has yet to be made.

"As of right now that decision has not been made," Thorn said.

"Because we don't know exactly what we're going to do. For a lot of these options, a lot will depend on ... who are we (signing), who we might be able to sign, how much money that we'll need. A lot of things that need to be firmed up."

Nets president Rod Thorn expects to remain with the team.

Speaking on a conference call Monday, Thorn said that potential new owner Mikhail Prokhorov has given no indication that he won't be back.

"As of right now, I am until someone tells me differently," said Thorn. "But who knows?"

New Jersey had the worst record in the NBA this season, which has earned them the most chances to land the first overall pick in June's draft.

Prospective Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov came to his own defense Monday and was backed by the NBA after a congressman accused his company of violating sanctions and U.S. law by doing business with the government of Zimbabwe.

"Onexim Group takes very seriously the issue of law and sanctions as applied to Zimbabwe," Prokhorov said in a statement.

"Contrary to erroneous media reports, the company and all of its holdings have always been in strict compliance with all United States and European rules regarding Zimbabwe and have had no dealings whatsoever with companies or individuals on the sanctions list."

New Jersey congressman Bill Pascrell has called for a government investigation of Prokhorov's business dealings in Zimbabwe, alleging the NBA's background check on Prokhorov was "disgusting."

The sale of the Nets remains on hold.

After originally saying the sale of the Nets would be voted on sometime in the first quarter of this year, the league now says the transaction is being held up indefinitely.