The Brooklyn Nets have been somewhat at the center of attention for the NBA world ever since Kyrie Irving’s now-infamous remark back in 2020 that the Nets don’t need a coach. That remark came on the heels of the Nets, firing Kenny Atkinson and hiring a completely inexperienced Steve Nash to take over at the helm.
Fast forward to 2022 and those remarks are still fresh in the minds of everyone who follows the NBA. An analyst remarked that he felt for Nash and that he doubts if Kyrie and Kevin Durant would respect any coach who takes over the Nets. Durant unintentionally might have added some more fuel to the fire by his comments on the Netflix show “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction” with David Letterman, where he spoke about a coach’s main responsibility:
Asked what an NBA coach does, Kevin Durant says, "managing personalities. I think that's the biggest thing. We all know how to play. We all know all the terminology. We know every single scheme that can be … Managing personalities, I think that their biggest job."
— NetsDaily (@NetsDaily) May 20, 2022
Asked what an NBA coach does, Kevin Durant says, “managing personalities. I think that’s the biggest thing. We all know how to play. We all know all the terminology. We know every single scheme that can be … Managing personalities, I think that their biggest job.”
This just feeds into the notion that the two main Nets stars do whatever they want when on the court. They just want Nash to handle the locker room, while they go out and do what they are best at, which is play basketball. One has to wonder how effective this strategy is, considering this iteration of the Nets has failed to even reach the Eastern Conference Finals. A change is probably needed somewhere, and the team needs to make a decision this offseason.
It doesn’t look like Nash is going anywhere, however, and the one at risk of potentially being on his way out is Kyrie, as the Nets are yet to discuss an extension with their star guard. Whatever happens from here on out, the Nets soap opera looks set to continue this offseason as we wait and see what comes out next.
