The Nets‘ season could be over in a matter of hours, as the team faces an elimination game at home on Monday night, down 3-0 to Boston in its first-round series.
While a first-round sweep would be a disastrous outcome for a club that entered the season as a championship favorite and would certainly increase scrutiny on head coach Steve Nash, one source close to the situation tells Substack writer Marc Stein that he doesn’t expect Nash to become a fall guy for a disappointing playoff run.
As Stein and his source observe, Nash has faced an inordinate number of challenges during the 2021/22 season, including Kyrie Irving‘s vaccination decision, James Harden‘s trade request, and injuries to players like Kevin Durant and Joe Harris. Stein suggests that Nash shouldn’t avoid blame for the Nets’ struggles, but says there are many larger issues in play as well.
Here’s more from Stein:
- A concern about player discipline both on and off the court was among the factors in the Hornets‘ decision to part ways with head coach James Borrego, league sources tell Stein.
- The Pacers expressed some interest in Rockets guard John Wall early in the 2021/22 season, but it didn’t go anywhere and it happened before they acquired Tyrese Haliburton, according to Stein. In other words, Indiana is probably an unlikely offseason suitor for Wall.
- After seriously considering trading Myles Turner during the ’21/22 season, the Pacers now hope to keep the big man long-term, sources tell Stein. Turner will be extension-eligible this offseason as he enters a contract year.
- While some Jazz staffers were reportedly upset about seeing Knicks executive William Wesley and Julius Randle courtside at Game 1 of their series vs. Dallas, the Mavericks weren’t particularly bothered by it, since it “didn’t really change anything” in their view, Stein writes. The Knicks are believed to have interest in Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell and Mavs guard Jalen Brunson, and Dallas is aware of New York’s interest in Brunson. Of course, Brunson is an unrestricted free agent this summer, while Mitchell is under team control for at least three more years.
- Some teams have asked the NBA to consider making qualification for the play-in tournament contingent on the Nos. 9 and 10 teams finishing within a certain distance of the No. 8 seed, says Stein. It’s unclear whether the league will tweak that rule going forward or leave the format as is.
Has Nash ever yelled at Kyrie or KD? It’s all praises only and sugercoating?? NONE of them are doing whatever it takes to win… They had no urgency whatsoever in gm 3 which is like quitting. Where’s the pride??? Already planning offseason vacation??? Pathetic all around!
KYRIE only played 3 college games at Duke because of injury.. In Cleveland Lebron held KYRIE accountable, less hanky panky. In Brooklyn KD does not do that… Until KD holds KYRIE accountable on and off the court, Brooklyn will have problems.. On top of that, add BEN to this mix? Who know what’s going to happen next year? KD is absolutely exhausted….
Nash hasn’t shown anything special as a coach, BUT and its a big BUT, is KI coachable at this stage of his career? The comments he made about being coached him and KD, for me were the clear turning point in all this drama. Nash is to blame, but KI mindset its the biggest problem of the Nets experiment.
Nash was literally completely out of basketball and was more involved with soccer, but KD handpicked Nash because of their casual working relationship at GS. I guess Nash still making easy $25m … Nash is nothing but listener, babysitter, and cheerleader.
KYRIE only played 3 college games at Duke because of injury.. In Cleveland Lebron held KYRIE accountable, less hanky pinky. In Brooklyn KD does not do that… Until KD holds KYRIE accountable on and off the court, Brooklyn will have problems.. On top of that, add BEN to this mix? Who know what’s going to happen next year? KD is absolutely exhausted….
KD isn’t a leader in the locker room or at least hasn’t shown that through his carreer.
I think KI has gone downhill since getting his ring, on and off the court. He is really talented but the fact that bball is not the most important thing for him, he will never be able to compete at the highest level in this leagu, being that making deep playoffs runs.
I agree, but what do the Nets do with him next year… they already own Ben for 3 more yrs… max out contract to KYRIE is dangerous… the reason he didn’t extend in Boston, the young players didn’t respect him, he didn’t have the locker room… hasn’t changed in Brooklyn either…
I think they will max him if KD wants to. If im the Nets i ll try to offer him max money but for 2 years with a team option the third year or without being fully guaranteed money.
The Nets can’t acquire more talent otherwise, so the most likely scenario is them trying out how KD-Ben-KI works. It will be a rough situation with tons of pressure IMO.
Another key thing that part of the media tend to forget is KD’s age and recent injuries. They can’t hope him to carry the team like he could in the past.
The Nets really need to play better next regular season in order to give KD necessary rest and/or a reduction of minutes. Being so bad this year forced him to play a ton of minutes down the stretch on top of having to play in the play-in games.
Forget seeding other than securing one of the top-6 spots. His health and being as fresh as possibly is priority.
He actually played 11 before he suffered a ligament issue. That’s a fluke injury – no amount of Coach Lebron could stop a ligament from getting hurt.
I don’t know if you have ever hurt anything in your foot, but I broke a bone in my heal a few years ago and could barely walk longer than 10 minutes without it being in sever pain. Now imagine playing 40 minutes of basketball with an injured foot?
Not sticking up for Irving, but just ask people to not share false information. .
Rockets like Lakers 2027 unprotected First
Wall for the pick and salary filler
Lakers pick could turn out to be Luka or Morant
Agree, that pick will be valuable, Lebron long gone, AD won’t be extended when contract over… That’s a keeper…