Brooklyn Nets: Lessons from first 52 Games

Feb 9, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Brooklyn Nets head coach Lionel Hollins reacts to a call during the fourth quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Milwaukee won 103-97. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

5. Is Lionel Hollins on the hot seat?

We’ve been hearing of uncertainty of the players on the team remaining here, but now rumors about the coach?

Coming off some horrible losses in 2015 (by 35+ points), there were rumblings that the struggling Nets were looking to improve in any possible area. This immediately led to rumors about coach Hollins being evaluated and his future with the team looked uncertain.

Those rumors have calmed down (for now), but another coaching change is not what the team needs. At 21-31 and on the cusp of the playoff hunt, more changes could cause downfall. Hollins deserved some of the blame for the poor record after 52 games, but we cannot solely blame their struggles on him.

Hollins has some things he must improve for the second half, such as finding the best lineup, distributing minutes better, and smarter in-game management. Still, the players are the ones playing and have to perform when they are asked to perform. There seems to be no issues in the locker room or with the players not getting Hollins’s message, so Hollins won’t be going anywhere for the rest of the season.

A decision that he could make is to play small-ball. It worked last year for the Nets, so he should at least give it a try during the final 30 games.

Next: What's Next?