The Brooklyn Nets have a great coach in Jordi Fernandez. They had a terrific coach from 2016 to 2019 in Kenny Atkinson.
Due to a mass influx of superstars, including Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, they parted ways with their head coach back in 2019 to acquiesce to the stars' demands.
Both of those stars, along with James Harden, left the Nets at the altar and it's clear five years after the Nets made a coaching change, that it was the wrong decision.
Jacque Vaughn took over for Atkinson at the end of 2019 and through the NBA bubble season during COVID-19.
Then, Sean Marks had the bright idea of hiring his former teammate with no head coaching experience whatsoever in Steve Nash.
That, along with a bunch of internal dysfunction and lack of commitment from supposed leaders, led to a talented Nets roster failing to win a single Atlantic Division crown, Eastern Conference crown or NBA title.
Now, the Nets are in an early similar position to where they were with Atkinson in 2016. Brooklyn is a gritty, never say die team that is making the most out of its talent with a competent and tough-nosed head coach.
Sound familiar?
Brooklyn's rebuild looks to be more of a retooling as Fernandez is fast tracking success at an overachieving 4-5 record. Many NBA pundits and even Nets fans were anticipating or even rooting for a tank season where the Nets would at worst land a top five NBA Draft Lottery pick.
That scenario is very much on the table since Brooklyn started 13-10 last year with Jacque Vaughn in his second stint as head coach before being fired at the end of last year.
The lesson learned here is when an organization hands over the keys to a star player, that player does not have the long-term interest of the team or the franchise at hand.
The Nets bent over backwards to please Irving, Durant and Harden and have nothing to show for it.
Now that another coach killer in Giannis Antetokounmpo is disenfranchised with the direction of the Bucks under Doc Rivers, the Nets need to tread lightly.
The Nets have been listed among the top landing spots for the Greek Freak, but the soon to be 30 year-old with an injury history, certainly presents some risks.
Marks and company cannot derail what looks to be a promising retooling of the franchise just to please another superstar player.
So while adding Antetokounmpo to the current mix in Brooklyn would be enticing, the front office and ownership brass needs to ensure that the plan is clear for Fernandez to have as much runway as possible to build a winner in the borough.
