Earlier today, rapper and part owner of the "Brooklyn Nets" Jay-Z announced that the team's head coach Avery Johnson has been fired and revealed that P.J Carlesimo will be taking Avery's former position on the team.

According to reports, Avery began the year with an 11-4 start and was named Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for October and November, but the Nets have only won three of their last 13 games and currently hold the eighth and final playoff spot in the East.

Avery's firing comes in light after a talk with the Nets CEO Brett Yormark on Christmas Day.

Our friends over at Newsday reports, Yormark tweeted how he wasn't happy with the results on or off the court, creating a bit of a stir, and Johnson said Wednesday they had talked things over.

"He called me and talked to me about it to say that he's the CEO and they had some issues, I think, in the arena that he was disappointed with," Johnson said, "and it's the same thing I've been saying all along: we all have to get better, we have to improve. It's going to be a dogfight all year. Nothing's going to be easy.

" . . . Now is not the time to really analyze what's happened for us this year, because we haven't even gotten to the halfway point and we haven't played a full season with this roster. But I think I agree: we all have to get better."

Johnson said he's in constant communication with general manager Billy King, discussing the state of the team.

"Billy and I talk about it all the time -- we're not where we want to be," he said. "But I don't think we are where we're going, either. I think we still have great potential, but once we get everyone back in the fold, and figure out what's the next step, I think we'll be in good shape."

The Nets principal owner, Mikhail Prokhorov also added: "The Nets ownership would like to express thanks to Avery for his efforts and to wish him every success in the future."