The Brooklyn Nets finally have their next head coach.
The Nets plan to hire Sacramento Kings assistant Jordi Fernandez as their next head coach, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Fernandez, who has been a top candidate for a coaching job in the league in recent years, was the Kings’ top assistant coach this past season.
ESPN Sources: Jordi Fernandez has emerged as the Brooklyn Nets’ pick to become the franchise’s next coach, splitting in a month-long wide-ranging search with the Nets now willing to hire the Sacramento’s top assistant Kings for hire. pic.twitter.com/VHqXY9AYsb
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 16, 2024
Fernandez, 41, joined the Kings before last season and helped them reach the playoffs for the first time in nearly two decades. Kings head coach Mike Brown also won the league’s Coach of the Year award during that campaign. He then helped the Kings finish this season with a 46-36 record and earn a spot in the NBA’s play-in tournament.
Before landing in Sacramento, Fernandez spent six seasons as an assistant coach under Mike Malone in Denver. He also spent time on the staff of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Fernandez, who hails from Barcelona, ​​Spain, is also the Canadian national team coach. Last year they won a bronze medal at the Fiba World Cup. He also worked as a coach for the national teams of Spain and Nigeria, and last season interviewed for jobs with the Toronto Raptors, Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks.
Fernandez will now be tasked with reviving the Nets, who went just 32-50 last season and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2018. It was also their first losing record since the 2019-20 season. Fernandez replaces Jacque Vaugn, who was fired after 54 games this season. Interim coach Kevin Ollie led the franchise the rest of the way.
Fernandez now becomes the Nets’ fourth full-time head coach since 2020. Vaughn, a longtime assistant in the organization, took over for Steve Nash after being fired just seven games into last season. Vaughn was unable to complete a full season leading the team.
