After the Boston Celtics accomplished a 4-0 first-round playoff collection sweep of his group on Monday, Nets celebrity ahead Kevin Durant issued his second endorsement of Steve Nash as head coach of the longer term.
Durant was requested if he nonetheless believes Nash, who simply accomplished his second season as a head coach after serving as a participant growth guide with the Golden State Warriors, is the fitting man for the Nets job.
“I mean, come on, now,” Durant responded. “Yeah (I believe that). Steve’s been dealt a crazy hand the last two years. He’s had to deal with so much stuff as a head coach, a first-time coach: trades, injuries, COVID, it’s just a lot of stuff he’s had to deal with and I’m proud of how he’s focused and his passion for us. We all continue to keep developing over the summer and see what happens.”
Nash was requested immediately if he expects to return as head coach of the Nets subsequent season after two consecutive years on the helm fell wanting championship aspirations.
“Yeah, I loved doing this and love these guys, love my staff, love all the departments,” Nash responded. “Really have a great working environment, really enjoyed it and want to continue doing it.”
Nash has been beneath hearth given the Nets’ latest lack of success. After the common season spiraled uncontrolled as a consequence of many off the courtroom elements — together with however not restricted to Kyrie Irving’s vaccination standing, Kevin Durant’s MCL sprain and James Harden’s midseason commerce request — Nash’s Nets seemed outmatched of their first-round matchup in opposition to the Celtics.
To add salt to the wound, Nash’s former assistant coach, Ime Udoka, picked up the broomstick at Barclays Center and swept him out of the first-round with a league-best protection and Coach of the Year votes to tout.
Nash shortly started trying ahead to subsequent season, supplied he’s again. NBA reporter Marc Stein reported the Nets don’t have any intentions of dismissing Nash this summer time.
“I think Ben Simmons and Joe Harris will give us a big lift and we’ll see how the rest of the roster rounds out, but we should be excited by that,” Nash stated postgame. “Getting two of your prime 4 guys again, two guys with dimension and one who’s an All Star and one who is likely one of the finest shooters within the league. I feel that provides us a giant increase.
“That allows other guys to fall back into their natural positions where they don’t have to guard big guys every night or play too many minutes where they have to do too much against tall defenses where it can be very difficult for a bunch of guys giving up size at every position. So I think those guys will really help. Obviously the rest of the roster is very key, as well, and so we have this summer to work at that.”
Nash additionally steered he hopes to maintain his teaching workers intact.
“We’ll see if anyone has a job opportunity to be a head (coach), but (I) really enjoyed working with my staff,” he stated. “They’ve been unbelievable at staying together this year.”
Moving on from Nash would set a nasty precedent. It would mark the third head coach in as a few years because the Durant-Irving period: The Nets dismissed Kenny Atkinson shortly earlier than coming into the Orlando bubble, then promoted Jacque Vaughn to interim head coach earlier than demoting him again to an assistant in favor of hiring Nash.
But the very fact nonetheless stays: His former understudy — who was extra certified for a head teaching job with seven seasons beneath Gregg Popovich and an extra season teaching Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons in Philadelphia — discovered a approach to neutralize Durant in a four-game playoff collection and swept Nash’s Nets off their very own dwelling ground.
Nash, nonetheless, clearly has his celebrity’s stamp of approval, and the Nets will spend their summer time searching for methods to enhance the roster. For now, it doesn’t seem a training change is on the way in which. Though all issues are topic to vary with one more championship-hopeful season developing empty in Brooklyn.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com