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Now that the Brooklyn Nets’ season is over, they have to look to the offseason and find ways to fill the holes in their roster.
It was clear that the duo of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant alone wasn’t enough to win a championship, let alone win a single game in the playoffs. While the talent has never been in question, the pair can’t do it all.
With several players likely to move on in the offseason, the Nets will have to pick and choose their targets carefully as the salary cap will be difficult to navigate with Ben Simmons, Durant and Irving all having massive contracts on the books next year.
Another spot that is often overlooked by fans is the coaching staff. Head coach Steve Nash seems likely to return, but his coaching tree around him could look different next year.
Coveted assistant coach David Vanterpool, somebody who has been linked to many openings over the past several years, is expected to get some offers from teams around the league.
On May 4, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Vanterpool received permission from the Nets to interview with the Hornets opening.
Vanterpool Leaving?
Vanterpool, perhaps best known during his Nets tenure as the assistant coach who blocked a pass going to Kyle Kuzma late in game, is going to interview for his first head coaching job.
In the NBA he was an assistant coach with the Trail Blazers from 2012-19, the Timberwolves associate head coach from 2019-21, and then an assistant with the Nets from then until now.
He was endorsed by both Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum for a head coach position, indicating he was well-liked by his own players. When the Blazers had an opening, he was passed over in favor of first-time head coach Chauncey Billups.
The Hornets have an attractive roster to coaches led by star in the making LaMelo Ball. Vanterpool will have his work cut out for him for a potential head coaching job in Charlotte as Milwaukee Bucks assistant Charles Lee and Mike D’Antoni have also been linked to the opening.
What’s Next for the Nets?
Losing an assistant coach wouldn’t be the end of the world for the Nets, and it’s expected that one of the top assistants in the league would eventually go off to lead his own team.
A more pressing matter for the Nets is what will happen with Ben Simmons going forward? It was announced on May 4 that Simmons will undergo back surgery to help alleviate the pain he’s been feeling after missing the whole year.
It’s projected that he’ll need three to four months to recover, and the expectation is that he’ll be ready to go by the time training camp opens for the Nets. Once his health concerns are behind him, the team could finally see what type of trio him, Irving and Durant can form.
Filling out the rest of the roster will be important too, but this will certainly be a good place to build from.
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