Getty Deandre Ayton of the Phoenix Suns was linked to the Boston Celtics.
After being swept out of the first round of the NBA playoffs by the Boston Celtics, the Brooklyn Nets’ coaching staff has already seen major changes. Key assistants on head coach Steve Nash’s staff from last season, such as David Vanterpool, Amar’e Stoudemire and Adam Harrington, will not be returning to the Nets in 2022-23. Brooklyn will have their work cut out for them next season as the lofty expectations for Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving have not come to fruition. The All-Star duo has yet to make it to the conference finals.
Nash has already begun to fill the voids in his coaching staff. The Nets are expected to hire Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Igor Kokoskov to their staff, per NBA Insider Marc Stein.
“The Nets are expected to hire Mavericks assistant coach Igor Kokoskov to serve as an assistant to Steve Nash on the Brooklyn bench, league sources say,” Stein said per his Twitter account on June 4.
The Nets are expected to hire Mavericks assistant coach Igor Kokoskov to serve as an assistant to Steve Nash on the Brooklyn bench, league sources say.
Nash had pursued Kokoskov when he first got the job after their time together in Phoenix.
More NBA: t.co/A6ycVm5PUQ
The latest Nets news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Nets newsletter here!
Kokoskov Hire Sparks Speculation of Deandre Ayton Trade
Some Nets fans are hoping that Kokoskov’s move to Brooklyn will have serendipitous side effects on the free agency period. The newest Nets coach spent time with the Phoenix Suns during the 2018-19 season. During that time, he developed a relationship with Suns star center Deandre Ayton, who will enter restricted free agency on July 1. One NBA fan on Twitter (@elptophx) notes the relationship that the star free agent has with both Kokoskov and Nash, sparking speculation of Ayton potentially getting traded to the Nets.
“The Brooklyn Nets coaching staff is about to turn Deandre Ayton into a perennial All-Star. I’m legit smiling from ear-to-ear right now.”
DeAndre Ayton Might be traded to probably the Brooklyn nets and get Kevin Durant would be huge to win a championship but not seeing the sons in the finals hopefully next year tomorrow’s game three warriors versus Celtics but I don’t care who wins!
Nets, Lakers Have Worst Odds To Land Ayton
Ayton is expected to want big money from his next NBA team. And after helping lead the Suns to the NBA Finals at just 22 years old, who could blame him? But the Nets already have three max players in Ben Simmons, Kyrie, and Durant.
Irving is entering the last year of his deal and has a player option where he can opt-out and become a free agent this summer. If that does happen, the Nets are open to executing a sign and trade, in which case, they could swap Irving for Ayton. But unfortunately for Nets fans, it is not likely to happen. Brooklyn is currently tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for the worst odds (+8000) to land the Suns’ center in a potential blockbuster deal, per Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson of Bally Sports.
Suns C DeAndre Ayton could stay with Suns according to odds released by @BovadaOfficial.
Pistons +225
Pacers +275
Suns +300
Spurs +650
Hornets +800
Trail Blazers +1000
Thunder +1400
Rockets +1800
Magic +1800
Bulls +3300
Warriors +5000
Knicks +5000
Nets +8000
Lakers +8000
With Ayton potentially set to be the most coveted player on the open market during free agency, a number of teams will be knocking at his door. Unfortunately for the Nets, they don’t have enough money to pay him. In fact, with the money they have tied up in Irving, Durant, and Simmons, they don’t even have enough money to keep all their free agents from last season.
While it is fun to dream, Nets fans may want to focus on realistic goals. And what Brooklyn needs to focus on is finding a way to keep key players such as Nic Claxton and Bruce Brown on the 2023 roster. While Brooklyn may not have the funds to make big free agency moves, it is more important to make the right ones.
READ NEXT: Nets Linked to Clippers Star in Potential Blockbuster Trade, Says GM