The Brooklyn Nets gave the basketball world quite a shock when they decided to fire Kenny Atkison as the team's head coach back in 2020. During that time, there were rumblings that Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving played major roles in the dismissal of their coach. Apparently, these reports were “greatly exaggerated.”

Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN reports that while it may be true that both KD and Kyrie were somewhat displeased by Atkinson's performance as the team's head coach, they didn't exactly call for his head:

Durant was initially impressed by his intel on Atkinson's approach to his coaching craft coming into Brooklyn, but as the Nets languished, sources say he was increasingly underwhelmed by the team's lackluster play. Though multiple sources with knowledge of the Nets' internal machinations say that reports that Atkinson's firing in March 2020 was at the direct command of Durant and Irving are greatly exaggerated, the dynamics that led to Atkinson's demise in Brooklyn were informed in large part by the new composition of the roster.

Based on this report, the main motivation behind the Nets' decision to fire Atkinson had a lot to do with his fit with the new-look team — or the lack thereof. Steve Nash took over the helm after Atkinson was given the boot and while this appointment was met with controversy at first, the Hall of Fame point guard quickly proved his worth as the team's top shot-caller.

Right now, Nash, Durant, Irving, and the rest of the Nets are primed to make a title run this season. It may have been a year or so delayed, but this could finally be the season that Brooklyn's major moves bear fruit.