“This was an incredibly difficult decision, but one we feel is in the best interest of the team going forward,” said Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks following the firing of former head coach Jacque Vaughn announced on Monday.
Just one year ago, the 49-year-old Vaughn, who compiled a record of 71-68 over parts of three seasons as head coach of the Nets, signed a contract extension during the 2023 All-Star break. He was terminated during this season’s All-Star recess.
Kevin Ollie, who played 13 seasons in the NBA, and as a head coach guided his alma mater, the University of Connecticut Huskies from 2012-2018, winning the 2014 NCAA championship, will take over as interim head coach. Ollie, 51, joined the staff prior to the start of the 2023-2024 NBA season.
“Jacque has represented this organization with exemplary character and class for the past eight years,” Marks added. “The consistent positivity and passion he poured into our team daily will remain with the players and staff he interacted with throughout his tenure. We thank Jacque for all he has done for the Nets and the borough of Brooklyn, and wish him, Laura and their family nothing but the best in the future.”
The Nets have been in a free-fall since mid-December. They were 13-11 on December 14 but went into All-Star weekend 21-33, getting embarrassed in a 136-86, 50-point road loss to the Boston Celtics on Valentine’s Day, their last game heading into the break.
Vaughn was a Nets assistant coach and took over as head coach on November 1, 2022, after the franchise terminated former head coach Steve Nash. His roster included Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons, vastly different from the team he coached in his final game. Mikal Bridges was the only starter to reach double figures in the loss to the Celtics. Simmons, who has only played in 12 of the Nets’ 54 games this season, sat out with a left knee effusion and is not yet able to compete in back-to-back games.
The Nets’ flawed roster is more to blame for the team’s poor results than Vaughn, which should mean that Marks, who has held the position of GM since February 2016, has to bear most of the accountability. Bridges is the only Nets player to appear in every game this season, with reserve Day’Ron Sharpe, who has been on the court for 49 of 54 games, having played in the second most.
Now it is up to Ollie to get the Nets, which begin a four-game road trip tonight versus the Toronto Raptors, back to playing competitively. They are currently the No. 11 seed in the East, one position out of a Play-In Tournament spot. The No. 7-10 seeds earn play-in bids.
On Tuesday, in his first press conference as Nets interim head coach, Ollie said he is going to try to build on the foundation that Vaughn laid.
“(I’m going to) try to bring level five energy in everything I do and hopefully that spreads to our team and through this whole organization,” Ollie said. “I’m excited for this opportunity. We have 28 games, 55 days, and I put that on the board with the guys.”
The Nets will face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday, the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, and the Orlando Magic on Tuesday.