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The Brooklyn Nets‘ decision to hire Steve Nash as their next head coach after mutually agreeing to part ways with Kenny Atkinson caught the attention of many. Nash had no coaching experience, and the Nets had their eyes set on winning the title. They needed a coach who could help take them there.
After a disappointing second-round exit in 2021, many thought the Nets would come into last season on a warpath to win the title. But unfortunately, their season ended in a first-round sweep at the hands of the Boston Celtics.
After two seasons and two early exits, Nash is under a microscope in Brooklyn. But the Nets face a grim ultimatum when it comes to his future. Brandon “Scoop B’ Robinson of Bally Sports, says the Nets parting ways with their current head coach would also mean losing their general manager Sean Marks, who has been the catalyst of their rise back to the top.
“I think that in this situation, Steve Nash and Sean Marks are packaged deals, and so you can’t have one way or the other,” Robinson said on Sirius XM Radio with Rick Kamla and Antonio Daniels.
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Insider: Nash To Blame for Harden Exit
Things unraveled quickly for the Nets last season, which ultimately led to James Harden demanding a trade that sent him to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Many thought the reason for Harden’s request was the absence of Kyrie Irving, who refused to take the COVID Vaccine. But Scoop B says Harden wanted out because of Nash.
“There are a few things that you could do because I think that for Sean Marks, the issue with James Harden was a Steve Nash issue, not a Kyrie issue, as what was widely reported,” Robinson added.
Griffin Sound Off on Nash’s Decision to Bench Him
Nash will be walking a tightrope next season, as he and Mark’s future could be in a championship or bust situation if Kyrie and Durant return. He has not been the worst head coach considering he has yet to miss the playoffs during his tenure. But he has made some questionable personnel decisions. Most questionably, 6-time All-Star Blake Griffin being phased out of the Nets’ rotation.
Though he was healthy all year, Griffin appeared in just 56 games for the Nets in the regular season. He spent most of the year on the bench after re-signing with the franchise last summer, a move that the Nets forward says he never saw coming.
“Being completely out of it, though, I didn’t necessarily see that coming. But that’s not my decision,” Griffin said to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk. “As players it’s our job to do whatever coaches see best.”
The Nets are entering the deep waters of free agency, and the future remains uncertain. After it seemed all but a foregone conclusion that the Nets would enter a rebuild after Durant’s trade request, things have seemed to hit a standstill.
But the Nets still hold all of the leverage in this situation. Kyrie and KD have obligations to the team as they are under contract for next season. A trade would be completely up to the discretion of Brooklyn’s front office.
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