The Brooklyn Nets and Kenny Atkinson mutually agreed to part ways, leaving the Nets without a permanent head coach as they jostle to stay in playoff position in the Eastern Conference.
Atkinson reportedly lost the confidence of some players in the locker room. But the Nets are already being linked to a former head coach who has chemistry with both of their stars.
Numerous reporters have suggested current ESPN NBA analyst Mark Jackson might be the most logical choice to replace Atkinson due in part to his relationship with both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving:
Rich Kleiman lobbied for Mark Jackson to get the Knicks job, and I'll assume he does the same with the Nets. https://t.co/ZyF4Tspq17
— Stefan Bondy (@SBondyNYDN) March 7, 2020
Some players felt that Kenny Atkinson had lost some of the locker room recently, which is fairly common when teams struggle. This may ultimately be inconsequential but you probably won’t find a bigger Mark Jackson fan than Rich Kleiman, Kevin Durant’s business partner/manager.
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) March 7, 2020
Jackson has plenty of ties to the New York area. He was born in Brooklyn and also played his first five seasons with the Knicks.
The former Golden State Warriors head coach has not manned the bench since the 2013-14 season. That's when he led the Dubs to a 51-31 record before they were bounced in seven games by the Los Angeles Clippers. Jackson was fired shortly thereafter in favor of current Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, who led Golden State to an NBA title the very next season.
Still, Jackson has been lauded for the job he did in his three years at Golden State. He called Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson the greatest shooting duo in NBA history long before their public stock skyrocketed. Most notably, he turned a losing franchise into a winner.
Jackson has been rumored to return to the bench for years. Aside from personal relationships, the Nets provide Jackson with an interesting opportunity.
Though Brooklyn are barely holding on to a playoff spot, they are expected to be potential title contenders when Durant returns next year.
The Knicks passed on Jackson. Will the Nets bring him home?
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