After leading a young Brooklyn Nets team to the playoffs last season, head coach Kenny Atkinson welcomed the two cornerstones of a future super team in the offseason. When Kevin Durant finally returns this fall to play alongside Kyrie Irving, though, Atkinson won’t have the chance to coach them.
The Nets announced on Saturday morning that the team has “mutually agreed to part ways” with Atkinson after nearly three full seasons. The Nets are 28-34 and have been without Kyrie Irving for much of the season due to injuries, but are currently seventh in the Eastern Conference. Atkinson departs with a record of 118-190 as a head coach.
The Brooklyn Nets and Head Coach Kenny Atkinson have mutually agreed to part ways. Jacque Vaughn will serve as head coach for the remainder of the season.
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) March 7, 2020
Sean Marks’ statement on Kenny Atkinson and the Nets parting ways. pic.twitter.com/8vZxTV7keu
— Anthony Puccio (@APOOCH) March 7, 2020
Many basketball fans and analysts were stunned by the news. Upon joining the Nets last summer, Kevin Durant said that Atkinson drew him in, and that he liked Atkinson’s approach to the game.
Kenny Atkinson will be in tremendous demand on the market, especially with teams executing a rebuild. There's no question about his comfort level and track record leading those teams. https://t.co/jlAS1WEkKd
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 7, 2020
Considering the injuries of the roster and having Brooklyn at 28-34, I was actually thinking that Kenny Atkinson should receive Coach of the Year votes.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) March 7, 2020
There has to be more to this story of Brooklyn moving on from Kenny Atkinson. He and Marks were 1/1A in rebuilding that team with literally nothing to build from. Brooklyn is down a bit this year, but that's to be expected considering the injuries.
Something feels real off here.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) March 7, 2020
We didn’t respect it in the moment, but Pat Riley’s decision to stand by Erik Spoelstra at the start of the Heat Big 3 took guts. He believed in his guy and didn’t let the superteam change the mold. Then they won 2 titles.
Kenny Atkinson apparently didn’t have that protection.
— Jeff Eisenband (@JeffEisenband) March 7, 2020
Kenny Atkinson is a damn good coach and those guys played hard for him. Me thinks and my tinfoil hat says some chicanery is afoot. A kerfuffle if you will.
— Kazeem Famuyide 🍎 (@Kazeem) March 7, 2020
It'll take Kenny Atkinson 30 seconds to get another NBA job.
— Kristian Winfield (@Krisplashed) March 7, 2020
Knicks should look at this as an opportunity to hire Kenny Atkinson.
— Stefan Bondy (@SBondyNYDN) March 7, 2020
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