In the NBA, stars have input on major team decisions. Firing coaches. Hiring coaches. Big trades. Management will consult with its stars before making a significant move.
For a long time, the Nets and Kevin Durant followed this paradigm.
Here’s GM Sean Marks talking about Durant’s input back in 2020, when Jacque Vaughn was preparing to coach Brooklyn in the Orlando bubble.
“He continues to be a very loud voice in terms of where we’re going in the future and what we’re doing, and I involve him like the other players and staff in how we’ll continue to build this team and how we move forward,” Marks said then. “…. It would not be smart of us if we were not to involve some of these key players in this decision. Kevin, Kyrie, we’re going to pick their brains on what they’re looking for in a leader, what they need. They’ve been brutally honest so far.”
If you’re a Nets fan, you know all too well that things have gone poorly since the summer of 2020. There was the trade that brought James Harden to Brooklyn. The Ben Simmons trade. All of the issues that got in the way of Kyrie Irving playing basketball.
A Durant trade request that reportedly included a request to fire Steve Nash and Marks. Sticky negotiations on an Irving extension. The Nash firing.
So it’s interesting to hear Marks say that neither Durant -- nor any other player -- was consulted in the decision to hire Vaughn.
“I update the players and the players knew ahead of time. But again, Kevin’s job here is to go and play basketball, and that’s what he wants to do. That’s what he enjoys to do. And let’s let him go do that,” Marks said Wednesday. “And my job here is to put this organization in the best place moving forward, and what we need to fill our needs right now. So that decision was not up to Kevin.”
Again, stars in the NBA usually have input on these decisions. So if you read Marks’ quote, you might infer that the Nets will look to trade Durant again and blow up the roster in the wake of the Vaughn hiring.
But that’s not the case. At least not at the moment.
One person in touch with the club in the wake of the Vaughn decision said some Nets decision-makers want to give the 47-year-old an earnest chance to win with Durant and the rest of the roster.
They don’t have any set plans to tear the roster down and start over.
Those moves may come. But the intent among some Nets decision-makers is to evaluate the roster after Vaughn has had time to lead the group.
So far, Brooklyn has looked strong under Vaughn. They crushed the Knicks on Wednesday to improve to 3-2 since Vaughn took over.
Durant, for one, likes what he sees from his new head coach.
“I know the works that he puts in every day,” Durant said after Vaughn’s first game as permanent head coach. “I know how much he cares about the development of each player and this team as a whole and I’m looking forward to playing for him.”