NEW YORK (AP) P.J. Carlesimo thinks the Brooklyn Nets' goal of winning a championship within the next two years is "maybe not totally realistic," though he believes they are a contender in the Eastern Conference.

Carlesimo went 35-19 as interim coach after Avery Johnson was fired in December, but the Nets told him he wouldn't return the day after a Game 7 loss to Chicago in the first round. He is working on ESPN as an analyst through the rest of the playoffs.

The Nets finished 49-33 in their first season in Brooklyn. They haven't hired a new coach, and Carlesimo said whoever gets the job will take over what he believes is one of the best teams in the league because of the opportunity to win right away.