The Brooklyn Nets once had a solid coach in Kenny Atkinson. However, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant reportedly lacked trust in Atkinson, and when your star players don’t respect the coach, it’s a major problem.
Sadly, the decision to cater to Irving and Durant’s wishes was just the first of many poor choices by the organization. Steve Nash often seemed out of his depth and struggled to gain the players’ respect.
Reflecting on his time with the Nets, Nash, a legendary point guard, acknowledged that while coaching was a good experience, he never saw it as his long-term career (via Eurohoops). “Coaching was a great experience, but I never intended to make it my lifelong career,” Nash admitted.
In hindsight, handing a potential championship team to a first-time coach, even one as brilliant as Nash, wasn’t the smartest move. Nevertheless, the Nets’ unwavering commitment to Durant and Irving ultimately led to their downfall, to the point where they were eager to move on from them.
Fortunately, the Mikal Bridges trade has helped the team recover some assets, putting them back on the right path after a difficult period. As for Nash, it appears he’s not in any rush to return to coaching anytime soon.