Report: Billy King pushing for Danny Ferry to become Nets’ GM

The Nets fired general manager Billy King, but he was reportedly advising Brooklyn in its search for his replacement. Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov downplayed Kings’ involvement, saying King could offer input as a friend.

Well, he apparently is.

King’s favored candidate: Former Hawks general manager Danny Ferry.

Mike Mazzeo of ESPN:

Behind the scenes, former GM Billy King has been pushing Ferry’s candidacy.

And despite being demoted, King still manages to hold influence with owner Mikhail Prokhorov’s No. 2, Dmitry Razumov.

King and Ferry are longtime friends. Kings’ support is hardly surprising.

But will it be enough? Ferry’s case in Brooklyn, after his tumultuous end with the Hawks, is complicated at best.

There have been plenty of questions about Prokhorov’s involvement with the Nets. He said he’d be around more during this state of transition, but it wouldn’t be the first time he didn’t deliver on a pledge. If Prokhorov is leaving the search in Razumov’s hands, that could give King – and therefore Ferry – more consideration.

Ferry still has a deep pool of competitors to beat for the job, though.