Jordi Fernandez

Atlantic Notes: Tatum, Porzingis, Celtics, Nets, Sixers

June 6th, 2024 at 5:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Star forward Jayson Tatum admitted to reporters this week that the Celtics‘ storied history creates some additional pressure in the quest for a championship, which would be the franchise’s record-setting 18th title, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

“We only hang NBA championship banners, right? 17 of them,” Tatum said. “Some of the greatest players to ever play this game wore this uniform. All of us are honored to follow in their footsteps, the way they paved for us to live out our dream. … If you want to be one of the greats to put on this uniform, every great before you won a championship. That’s what we try to play for every single season. The expectations are obviously different here. It takes special players to be here and to be a part of an environment like that.”

Tatum, who is in his seventh season with the Celtics and is competing in his 20th career playoff series, said he’s gotten accustomed to that pressure over the years and that his goal in this year’s Finals is to “enjoy the moment.” Boston has made four Eastern Conference finals and two NBA Finals during Tatum’s tenure. As Joe Vardon of The Athletic writes, Tatum and the Celtics believe they’re ready for the Finals this time around after experiencing some growing pains in the postseason earlier in his career.

“We come into the league at such a young age, and they want us to be perfect right away. It’s just part of growing up,” Tatum said. “You’re still growing up. I’m still growing up. It’s a process, right? Nothing was accomplished overnight. I think you’ll find a value in tough times, the ups and downs of just what life brings you.”

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

Jared Weiss of The Athletic and Brian Robb of MassLive.com each published in-depth features on Kristaps Porzingis this week ahead of his Game 1 return, with Weiss covering the big man’s transition to the Celtics following last summer’s blockbuster trade, while Robb details how that trade was a culmination of the team’s longtime interest in Porzingis, which dated back to 2014 when he initially declared for the draft before withdrawing and reentering in 2015.
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla was noncommittal when asked about a recent report that suggested senior consultant Jeff Van Gundy could transition into a role on Boston’s bench next season, per Robb of MassLive.com. “We don’t really know yet,” Mazzulla said during a radio appearance on Zolak and Bertrand on 98.5 FM in Boston. “We always said we are going to hire from within and kind of talk more about that after the season.”
Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez, who described his new coaching staff as “player development-oriented,” went into more detail earlier this week about what his idea of player development looks like, as Brian Lewis of The New York Post relays. “There’s no better player development in the world than playing real minutes. And we value real minutes, not just in the NBA but also the G League,” Fernandez said. “And we have all the resources we need to help our guys get better. But at the end of the day, we’re going to value team success over everything else. So it’s gonna be a clear message from the beginning; we’re gonna expect these guys to work really hard every day.”
While LeBron James is widely considered likely to remain with the Lakers, the Sixers – armed with $60MM+ in cap room and a pair of stars in Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey – could make a compelling pitch to the four-time MVP. Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report explores what it would look like if James decided he wanted to leave Los Angeles for Philadelphia.

New York Notes: Nets, Tsai, Brunson, Knicks, Randle

May 31st, 2024 at 6:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nets have formally announced Jordi Fernandez‘s coaching staff for the 2024/25 season, officially confirming (via Twitter) that previously reported names like Steve Hetzel, Juwan Howard, and Jay Hernandez will be among the assistants flanking the first-time head coach.

Hernandez is a carryover from last season’s staff, as are Adam Caporn, Ryan Forehan-Kelly, Corey Vinson, and Travis Bader. Besides Hetzel and Howard, the newcomers include Deividas Dulkys and Connor Griffin, whose hirings were also previously reported.

Here’s more on the NBA’s two New York-based teams, starting with Brooklyn:

The Nets don’t publicly share the names of the prospects they’re working out during the pre-draft process, but as NetsDaily relays, a few names are being reported. For instance, Rick Pitino tweeted earlier this month that St. John’s guard Daniss Jenkins “killed” his workout with Brooklyn, while Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on Thursday (via Twitter) that the Nets are among the teams that have worked out Adelaide 36ers wing Trentyn Flowers, who has also gotten a look from the Wizards, Bucks, Kings, Rockets, and Spurs, and has workouts on tap with the Lakers, Suns, Hornets, Jazz, Bulls, and Celtics.
While New York City has a history of bombastic sports team owners, Joe Tsai of the Nets has made it clear he doesn’t intend to be one of them, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “My first principle is don’t treat yourself too seriously. Don’t become the face of the franchise, because it’s not about you,” Tsai said recently. “Fans don’t care about you: They care about the players. They care about the star players. … You work for the fans. So you have to come in with that mindset, especially when you own a major sports team in a major city. It’s an institution. It’s not about you. It’s something that’s much much bigger than you and I feel like I’m a custodian of the team.”
Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscription required) takes a closer look at Jalen Brunson‘s contract situation, writing that while the Knicks’ point guard may ultimately be willing to sign an extension this offseason, he’d likely be in better position to maximize his long-term earnings if he waits until 2025.
Fred Katz and Seth Partnow of The Athletic recently discussed the Knicks‘ offseason. According to Partnow, various analytics models had Isaiah Hartenstein‘s 2023/24 season valued in the range of $28-35MM. The 26-year-old center made $9.25MM this season and will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. New York only holds his Early Bird rights, which means it will be somewhat limited (four years, $72.5MM) in what it can offer him. A recent report said people around the league think Hartenstein could receive $20-25MM annually on his next deal, and potentially losing him would certainly dampen Partnow’s view of the Knicks. Katz and Partnow also discuss the pros and cons of Julius Randle and ways in which the Knicks can improve next season, among other topics.
Speaking of Randle, the injured All-Star forward said he’s recovering well from shoulder surgery, though he still isn’t doing on-court work yet, per Bondy of The New York Post. One of New York’s main offseason questions is what to do with Randle, who is eligible for a lucrative extension this summer. For his part, the 29-year-old said he wants to stay long-term. “Yeah, I’ve always said from the very beginning I would love to be here in New York and I would love to continue to add on to what the guys did in the playoffs,” said Randle, who can also become a free agent in 2025. “I feel like that was my personal — biggest personal goal, or I’d say team goal in a sense, was when I got here is to be able to build and compete and to be at the point where we’re at now, where it’s an actual possibility (to win a championship). So really, that’s what my focus is, doing whatever I can to make sure I get healthy and get back and make sure I’m ready whenever we start playing again and contribute to winning. That’s really all my focus is and that stuff always in my career has taken care of itself.”

Rory Maher contributed to this post.

New York Notes: Tsai, Nets’ Coaching Staff, Knicks Offseason

May 26th, 2024 at 8:33pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Nets owner Joe Tsai said while fielding questions in a public event that the franchise needs to take a long-term vision toward success, according to NetsDaily.com. He also hinted changes are coming beyond the coaching staff shakeup already made.

“Brooklyn Nets is at a crossroads in a way,” he said. “I think we are … we didn’t do well as we expected last season. We didn’t make the playoffs, but we hope to revamp the team and make sure we can compete … in the long run.”

That approach is a stark contrast from a couple of years ago, when the team went all-in with superstars Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden.

“If you just want to win now, you could ruin their future by trading away all our assets and just win now,” Tsai said. “But I think what I want to do with the Brooklyn Nets is take a longer-term approach and build a winning sustainable winning culture.”

We have more from the New York clubs:

The choices Jordi Fernandez made for his Nets staff prove that the franchise is clearly looking toward development, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post. Most notably, Fernandez hired Steve Hetzel, whom the first-year head coach refers to as his “coaching father.” Current Cavs GM Mike Gansey hired Hetzel as the head coach of their G League affiliate with Fernandez as his assistant in 2013. The next season, he promoted Fernandez when Hetzel left. “Your young players are going to get better every single day between those two,” Gansey told Lewis. “Obviously Jordi’s great, but now adding Hetz, it’s just more ammunition. Guys are gonna get better, you’re gonna play fast, it’s gonna be fun.”
Just because the Knicks nearly reached the Eastern Conference Finals despite being decimated by injuries, there’s no guarantee they’ll be able to replicate or surpass that success, Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post opines. Vaccaro notes how other New York teams were weighed down by high expectations.
In a subscriber-only story, Newsday’s Steve Popper takes a long look at the Knicks’ offseason priorities and free agents.

Atlantic Notes: Porzingis, C. Johnson, Bridges, Sixers

May 1st, 2024 at 8:44pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics are hoping Kristaps Porzingis can recover from his right soleus (calf) strain in time for the Eastern Conference Finals, Chris Haynes reported tonight on TNT (video link via ClutchPoints).

Porzingis was ruled out for Game 5 after suffering the injury on Monday, but no official announcement has been made beyond that. Sources tell Haynes that the Celtics are preparing for Porzingis to be out for that second round but that team officials are optimistic that Porzingis can make a full recovery with some time off.

“The Celtics are very ecstatic and happy that this injury wasn’t anything more severe,” Haynes said. “He will use his time to rest and go through rehab and then around the six- or seven-day mark, they will reevaluate him to see how he is feeling and then go from there.”

Appearing on a Boston radio show, coach Joe Mazzulla confirmed that doctors will reexamine Porzingis next week to see how much progress he has made, writes Brian Robb of MassLive.

“I don’t know the specifics of it, they used a lot of fancy words,” Mazzulla said. “But I do know it’ll be kind of a more reevaluated next week. We’ll see how he responds to the treatment and how much better he gets here in the first week. I think that’s kind of the goal is to just get crazy in the next week and see where we’re at from there.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Cameron Johnson was one of two Nets players who showed up to welcome new head coach Jordi Fernandez at his introductory press conference, according to a NetsDaily article. Johnson admitted being disappointed by his performance this season, which played a role in the coaching change and caused him to be pulled from the starting lineup. “Nobody ever says anything will be handed to you, anything will be easy, adversity won’t come up, so it’s part of it,” he said. “You just got to take it, keep it pushing, keep working, and focus on tomorrow, focus on what we can do today.”
The Nets have to be careful in how they deal with Mikal Bridges, who will be eligible for an extension this summer, Keith Smith of Spotrac states in his offseason preview for the team. Smith believes Bridges is miscast as a franchise player in Brooklyn because he doesn’t score consistently enough to lead the offense and he doesn’t have enough size to anchor the defense. Smith sees a three-year extension in the range of $100MM to $120MM as reasonable, but adds that anything beyond that could be a bad use of resources.
The Sixers are taking steps to make sure Wells Fargo Center isn’t filled with Knicks fans for Game 6 like it was on Sunday, per David Aldridge of The Athletic. The team’s ownership joined with Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin – a former minority stakeholder in the franchise – to purchase and distribute more than 2,000 tickets from the secondary market.

Nets Notes: Fernandez, Marks, Simmons, Whitehead, B. Johnson

April 24th, 2024 at 10:52pm CST by Rory Maher

At his introductory press conference on Wednesday, new Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez was optimistic about a quick turnaround following a disappointing 2023/24 season, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

“We will see results right away,” Fernandez said. “This industry is about getting results and getting better. So how much are you gonna 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.”

Fernandez added that he was enthusiastic about the young talent on Brooklyn’s roster, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post.

“The youth excites me,” Fernandez said. “When you have a young roster — and talented — that means you’re going to have those guys for a long time. So you can develop them, and then they can perform at their best, and they’re here with you. So that’s extremely exciting.”

Here’s more on the Nets:

General manager Sean Marks said one of the reasons Fernandez stood out in the Nets’ head coaching search was his ability to coach players at various stages of their careers, according to Lewis. “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,” Marks said. “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.” Marks noted that as a big market, Brooklyn has an inherent ability to attract stars, which could accelerate the team’s timeline.
Marks said the team expects Ben Simmons to be ready for training camp in the fall, as Adam Zagoria of NJ.com relays (subscription required). “There should be no reason not to,” Marks said. “I mean, the doctors and therapists and so forth have told us that he should be ready to go next season. Again, it’s going to be on Ben’s timeline. We’re going to have to see how he progresses through the summer.” Simmons was limited to 15 games in ’23/24 and underwent his second back surgery in two years last month.
Another injured Net, Dariq Whitehead, should be ready to go for Summer League in a few months, Marks told reporters, including Lucas Kaplan of NetsDaily.com. The 2023 first-round pick had season-ending surgery for a stress reaction in his left shin back in January.
They don’t currently control a draft pick in 2024, but Marks said the Nets could look to move into the draft if a player they like is available, Kaplan writes. Marks also suggested BJ Johnson, who is the team’s director of player evaluation, could be in line for a promotion after former front office executives Jeff Peterson and Ryan Gisriel left to join the Hornets. “I think some of our guys have done a terrific job,” Marks said, per Kaplan. “In terms of just simply drafting, I mean, you want to take BJ Johnson. BJ runs our draft and has done so for the last several years. So, there’ll be more pressure and more responsibility placed on several of the guys in-house here.”

Nets’ Fernandez, Marks Call Re-Signing Claxton Top Offseason Priority

April 24th, 2024 at 2:45pm CST by Luke Adams

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday at his introductory press conference as the Nets‘ head coach, Jordi Fernandez referred to re-signing free agent center Nic Claxton as a “priority” for the team this offseason, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN. General manager Sean Marks went a step further, calling a new deal for Claxton the Nets’ “number one” priority.

“We hope he’s a Net for a very long time,” Marks said. “We hope we can continue to build around him and build with him and so forth.”

Claxton signed a two-year deal with Brooklyn in 2022 that paid him less than $10MM annually. He’s ineligible for an extension due to the short-term nature of that contract, so he’ll reach free agency this July. He’ll be unrestricted since he has five years of NBA service under his belt.

Claxton figures to be in line for a major raise after emerging as Brooklyn’s starting center over the past two seasons. During that time, he has averaged 12.3 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks in 29.8 minutes per game across 147 starts. The 25-year-old was ninth in Defensive Player of the Year voting a year ago and Fernandez believes he’s capable of finishing much higher than that.

“I believe he’ll be Defensive Player of the Year,” Fernandez said. “For us, he’s a priority in this summer, and the way we can play through him — obviously he’s great in pick-and-roll, he’s quick to the rim, he puts pressure on the rim — but also his ability to play the dribble-handoff game which, as you guys know, lately in the NBA is a style that is very efficient. … So he fits perfectly what we want to do moving forward.”

Marks was also effusive in his praise for the young big man.

“I think he’s scratched the surface on who he could end up being one day,” the Nets’ GM said. “I love the challenge of him being Defensive Player of the Year. Nic and I have talked in the offseasons about similar accolades, Most Improved Player, Defensive Player, All-Defensive team and so forth. So, I think he has the skill set, he has the mind to be able to put himself in those positions if he continues to work and continue to develop.”

Although his previous contract only covered two seasons, Claxton was with the Nets for three years before that, so the team will have his full Bird rights. That gives the front office the ability to go over the cap, all the way up to the maximum salary, to re-sign him. While a max deal is probably unlikely, Claxton is considered a good bet to command at least $20MM per year on the open market and the Nets figure to face competition from rival suitors.

Brian Lewis of The New York Post recently suggested that the odds are better than 50/50 that Claxton will re-sign with Brooklyn, noting that the team has been preparing for the possibility of giving him a substantial raise.

And-Ones: Postseason Awards, Fernandez, SLC Summer League, Players’ Poll

April 22nd, 2024 at 10:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The NBA revealed the finalists for seven postseason awards on Sunday. The league will begin announcing the winners on Tuesday, the NBA’s communications department tweets.

The Most Improved Player award will be announced on Tuesday. Tyrese Maxey, Alperen Sengun and Coby White are the finalists. The Sixth Man of the Year award winner will be revealed on Wednesday, followed by the Clutch Player of the Year (Thursday) and Coach of the Year (Sunday).

We have more from around the basketball world:

The Nets’ hiring of Jordi Fernandez as their head coach won’t affect his status with Team Canada. Fernandez will coach their national team at the Paris Olympics, Canada Basketball tweets.
The Salt Lake City Summer League will take place July 8-10 at the Jazz’s Delta Center, according to a press release. The Jazz, Grizzlies, Thunder and Sixers will once again compete in the round-robin summer showcase, which precedes the Las Vegas Summer League.
The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Josh Robbins compiled poll results from 142 NBA players on a variety of topics. Nikola Jokic topped Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for MVP, while Michael Jordan edged out LeBron James for Greatest Player of All Time. A majority of the players chose James Johnson as the player they’d least like to fight.

Nets Officially Hire Jordi Fernandez As Head Coach

April 22nd, 2024 at 8:25am CST by Luke Adams

The Nets have made it official, announcing today in a press release that they’ve named Jordi Fernandez their new head coach. Word officially broke last Monday that Brooklyn had decided to hire Fernandez.

“As we progressed through an extensive search over the past six weeks, it became increasingly clear that Jordi is the best coach to lead our team forward,” Nets general manager Sean Marks said in a statement. “Jordi brings a diverse set of experiences and basketball knowledge gained over the course of a coaching career that has taken him around the world.

“Each step of the way, Jordi has consistently demonstrated the ability to implement strong processes and creative systems designed to optimize each team’s specific roster. He’s proven the ability to build genuine relationships and garner the respect of players of all levels, and we’re confident that our players will benefit greatly from his expertise.”

Fernandez has spent the past two seasons as the associate head coach on Mike Brown‘s Kings staff. Prior to arriving in Sacramento, he was an assistant under Michael Malone in Denver from 2016-22, the head coach of the Canton Charge in the G League from 2014-16, a Charge assistant in 2013/14, and a player development coach for the Cavaliers from 2009-13.

Fernandez, who has long been considered a future NBA head coach and interviewed for jobs in Phoenix and Toronto last spring, led the Canadian national team to a bronze medal at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. The expectation is that he’ll coach the Canadians again this summer at the Paris Olympics, though it figures to be a busy offseason as he prepares for his new job in Brooklyn.

“I am truly grateful to lead the Nets as head coach and cannot thank (Nets owners Joe Tsai and Clara Wu Tsai) and Sean enough for this exciting and humbling opportunity,” Fernandez said in a statement. “My family and I are thrilled to join such an incredible organization and become part of the vibrant Brooklyn community. I am eager to get to work with this talented group of players and collectively drive our team forward. Together, we will be fully committed to building something special for Nets fans and the borough to be proud of for years to come.”

The Nets parted ways with former head coach Jacque Vaughn in February, replacing him on an interim basis with Kevin Ollie. While Ollie received some consideration for the permanent job, he wasn’t among the group of reported finalists that also included veteran head coach Mike Budenholzer and Suns assistant Kevin Young.

Following last Monday’s report that the Nets had chosen Fernandez, one report indicated that Budenholzer’s contract demands were “rather high” in terms of both years and dollars. That same report noted that former Hornets head coach James Borrego also received serious consideration from Brooklyn. Young, meanwhile, has since accepted the head coaching job at BYU.

Nets Intend To Hire Jordi Fernandez As Head Coach

April 15th, 2024 at 10:15pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Kings associate head coach Jordi Fernandez is set to become the Nets‘ new head coach for the 2024/25 NBA season, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who hears that Fernandez is Brooklyn’s top choice and that the team is prepared to hire him.

Woj notes that Fernandez became Brooklyn’s preferred candidate following an exhaustively thorough search over the last month that reportedly included dozens of potential fits.

Fernandez, 41, was one of three finalists for the gig, along with 2021 championship-winning former Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer and Suns assistant coach Kevin Young.

The Nets had begun looking for their long-term head coaching solution even prior to the end of the 2023/24 regular season, while the team was still under the tutelage of interim head coach Kevin Ollie, who stepped in after Brooklyn fired former head coach Jacque Vaughn in February. Ollie reportedly received consideration for the permanent job but wasn’t among Brooklyn’s finalists.

Fernandez, an assistant coach under Michael Malone on the Nuggets from 2016-22, has served on Mike Brown‘s Kings staff in the past two years. In 2023, during Brown and Fernandez’s first season with the franchise, Sacramento made the playoffs for the first time in 16 seasons. Brown won Coach of the Year honors for the achievement.

Last summer, Fernandez served as the head coach of a starry Canadian national team to a bronze medal in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. He’s expected to coach the Canadians again at this summer’s Olympics.

Fernandez has long been considered a future NBA head coach and interviewed with multiple teams last spring, including the Suns and Raptors.

Since he has been the Nets’ majority owner in 2019, Joe Tsai has already gone through three permanent head coaches. In that five-season span, Vaughn served as an interim head coach twice.

For what it’s worth, while it looks like Fernandez is on track to be hired by the Nets, the move isn’t official yet — that’s an important distinction, given how Brooklyn’s last head coaching search played out. In that case, it looked like the club was poised to hire Ime Udoka before it pivoted and retained Vaughn.

Budenholzer, Fernandez, Young Finalists For Nets’ Coaching Job

April 13th, 2024 at 1:38pm CST by Luke Adams

Mike Budenholzer, Kings assistant Jordi Fernandez, and Suns assistant Kevin Young are finalists for the Nets‘ head coaching job, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The Nets, who parted ways with Jacque Vaughn in February and replaced him with interim head coach Kevin Ollie, opted not to wait for the end of the season to begin their head coaching search. NetsDaily reported earlier today (Twitter link) that Brooklyn’s search process has been ongoing for more than a month and is believed to have been “extensive,” which Charania confirms.

According to Charania, Ollie received consideration for the permanent job, as did several other outside candidates, including Heat assistant Chris Quinn and Pelicans assistant James Borrego.

However, the franchise appears to have zeroed in on Budenholzer, Fernandez, and Young as its finalists. Sources tell The Athletic that team owner Joe Tsai will hold in-person meetings with all three candidates, with a final decision to be made sometime in the not-too-distant future.

A two-time Coach of the Year, Budenholzer compiled a 484-317 (.604) regular season record across 10 seasons as an NBA head coach from 2013-23 — five in Atlanta and five in Milwaukee. He also owns a 56-48 (.538) overall postseason record and won a championship with the Bucks in 2021. Budenholzer was an assistant in San Antonio when Nets general manager Sean Marks joined the Spurs’ front office in 2012.

Fernandez, who technically holds the title of associate head coach on Mike Brown‘s staff in Sacramento, served as an assistant in Denver from 2016-22 before making the move to the Kings. He has long been considered a future NBA head coach and led the Canadian national team to a bronze medal at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. He’ll coach the Canadians at this summer’s Olympics in Paris.

Young is another veteran assistant who has been promoted to associate head coach and has received NBA head coaching consideration in recent years. He reportedly interviewed with the Rockets, Bucks, Raptors, and Suns a year ago. Young was an assistant with the Sixers from 2016-20 before spending the last four seasons in Phoenix.

The Nets are one of three teams in the market for a permanent head coach, along with the Hornets and Wizards.

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