Coming off their worst season in years, the Nets unveiled the new head coach tasked with turning them around. And a confident Jordi Fernandez said that the turnaround starts now.
“We will see results right away,” said Fernandez, 41. “This industry is about getting results and getting better. So how much are you going to get better? It’s how we believe the process is important. We know that there’s proper steps to take and we’ll see improvement right away. But the most important thing to me is to believe in team success over personal success.
“[They] will put the team first.”
The Nets had their least successful season since 2017-18, also the last time they missed the playoffs.
They were a 50-loss team instead of a 50-win one.
That’s why they’re on to their fifth head coach since 2020.
Attracted by his worldly background — raised in Barcelona, Spain, with a Ph.D in sports psychology — the Nets picked Fernandez over Kevin Young and Mike Budenholzer.
Now they hope the first-time NBA head coach can grow along with the team.
“Yeah, absolutely,” said GM Sean Marks. “There’s context around every hire that’s made, and it suits the roster better than others at certain times, where you are on your timeline.
“Something that separates Jordi from a lot of the candidates [is], we found that he could look at a developmental roster, he could do various different pathways. He’s coached stars before, he’s been the head director of development before so he’s worn many hats and there’s no roster that he’s not going to be able to get the respect of those guys.”
That means while Fernandez may be taking over a losing team with developing young players — and may struggle again next season — if a star becomes available and changes Brooklyn’s timeline, it won’t require changing coaches.
And the Nets are convinced that, even after the exits of James Harden, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, they’ll be able to attract stars again down the road.
“From 2016 to 2019 this roster looked a whole lot different in three years. So the opportunity to do that in Brooklyn is certainly a viable one when you’re able to build and you’re able to build quicker than in some other markets,” said Marks. “It’s a big market, it attracts stars, per se, if you want to do that. But let’s not lose sight of developing our own and having success and continuing to draft well.”
Behind Mikal Bridges, they have Nic Claxton (25), Cam Thomas (22) and teens Noah Clowney and Dariq Whitehead, who is cleared for summer league.
“The youth excites me. When you have a young roster — and talented — that means you’re going to have those guys for a long time,” said Fernandez. “So you can develop them, and then they can perform at their best, and they’re here with you. So that’s extremely exciting.”
The Nets have seven tradeable first-round picks over the next seven years, the fifth-most in the NBA.
And even though they don’t have any picks this June, Marks said they might deal for one if the right player slips.
Both he and Fernandez also framed the latter’s staying on as Canadian National Team coach for the Paris Olympics as a positive.
Canada’s training camp runs from June 30 through mid-July, but it’s in Las Vegas where summer league play starts July 12, two days after a Canada-Team USA exhibition tilt.
“The challenge will be to be extremely organized because the opportunity I have in front of me will make myself better and the organization better,” said Fernandez.
“When you get to go to the Olympics, that’s very rare,” said Marks. “So the more opportunities Jordi has behind the clipboard, the better. So that’s great for us.”
Marks added Ben Simmons will be ready for camp, and — having lost Jeff Peterson and Ryan Gisriel to Charlotte — suggested director of player evaluation BJ Johnson could be set for a promotion after running the past three drafts.
No other assistants are known other than Steve Hetzel. Of ex-interim Kevin Ollie, Marks said “He’s a head coach. We wish Kevin nothing but the best for that.”
