Going back to this past summer, Nets superstar Kevin Durant felt like a new voice was needed in the Nets locker room. After over a year of working with head coach Steve Nash, KD asked for his job directly to owner Joe Tsai in what was an unprecedented move.
Long story short, Durant wouldn’t get his wish until a few months later, when the Nets started the season 2-5. And now that Nash is finally gone, how does Durant feel about the guy who has replaced him?
According to what KD said on the ‘ETCs’ podcast, he couldn’t be happier with how it has played out.
“I think he was due for an opportunity here. Not just any head coaching job, but here was the place. If the spot was gonna come open I felt like he was the guy. He paid his dues, know the players, seen the guys come in and out, tight relationship with the front office. So, I think he can connect with the players, a little easier. Cause it’s hard to transition a new guy mid-way into the season, early in the season like this. I felt like, for continuity purposes, it was good for us to stick with Jacq. And I’m happy for him, man. He deserves this opportunity. Great basketball mind, great team builder, great leader of men. So I’m looking forward to building.”
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Coach Vaughn Faces A Tough Challenge With Leading A Struggling Nets Team
To say coach Vaughn has his work cut out for him would be an understatement. While he obviously has the support of Kevin Durant and looked right at home after securing his first official win on Wednesday.
Still, there are a lot of unknown variables at play here. For one, the absence of Kyrie Irving continues to loom over the team, and one has to wonder when they will grow tired of waiting for him to be able to return.
There’s also Ben Simmons, who is still struggling offensively despite being fully healthy. Through it all, Vaughn will have to navigate all the different personalities and keep the focus on making things work on the court.
And while Vaughn is still getting used to his new position, he also knows he may not have been the first choice for the job. That was probably Udoka, who was disqualified for his history with the Celtics.
Hopefully, the Nets made the right call here — or it could come back to haunt them for years to come.
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