Empire Writes Back
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Brooklyn Nets: Four Potential Coaching Candidates

By Nikhil Potpally

Jan 8, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers head coach David Blatt looks on during the first half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 8, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers head coach David Blatt looks on during the first half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Brooklyn Nets
May 12, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau reacts in the second quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game five of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /

Now that the Brooklyn Nets have hired Sean Marks as their new general manager, they can formally begin to look for a new head coach following the firing of Lionel Hollins.

The Nets entered the All Star break at a record of 14-40, a very disappointing season considering the level of talent on the roster. The Nets don’t have any “superstars” on the team, but they do have many solid players who deserve more than 14 wins by now. The owner, Mikhail Prokhorov, decided that a front office and coaching shake-up needed to happen, and thus fired Hollins and re-assigned ex-GM Billy King. For many fans, these moves were long overdue, but at least it’s better late than never.

Marks will be a first-time GM in the NBA, so any coach he hires will be stamped on his resume. He comes from one of the best run organizations in all of sports, the San Antonio Spurs, so fans can breathe a sigh relief that some of their winning culture may transfer over.

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Aside from having no useful draft picks for the near future, the roster is not as flexible as one would like. Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young are the focus of the team now, and the other players seem to have trouble fitting in around them. Joe Johnson is not playing at the level he used to in prior years with the Nets, and is a candidate to be bought-out. I don’t want that to happen, but if the team wants to allow him to leave and join a playoff contender, then it’s understandable.

With players such as Shane Larkin and Thomas Robinson getting regular minutes in the lineup, it’s no surprise the team has severely underperformed. While a new coach may not immediately make the Nets into a championship contender, it’s essential that the new coach molds the team into a cohesive group that plays with maximum effort. Without draft picks, the Nets will rely on free agent signings this summer with the booming cap space to improve the team. If Brooklyn wants to attract any big-level players to come play here, then getting a highly regarded coach should be their top priority.

We’ll explore some coaching candidates that may fit the bill for the future of the Brooklyn Nets.

Next: Interim Gets a Chance

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