Nets getting big coaching staff shake-up

Jan 20, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Brooklyn Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn shouts to the bench in the second quarter against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

The Brooklyn Nets are making more changes following the departures of both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in the last few months.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported on Monday that the Nets are reshaping their coaching staff for head coach Jacque Vaughn’s first full season in charge next year. As a result, assistant coaches Igor Kokoskov, Brian Keefe, and Tiago Splitter are all being let go.

Wojnarowski notes that the Atlanta Hawks pulled a similar move after hiring new head coach Quin Snyder in the middle of this season.

Kokoskov, the former Phoenix Suns head coach, Keefe, who helped develop Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden in Oklahoma City, and Splitter, the ex-San Antonio Spurs big man, are all fairly notable names. All three were previously assistants under Vaughn predecessor Steve Nash, who was fired by the Nets last November after a little over two seasons in charge.

Vaugh, who originally took over on an interim basis, surprisingly impressed ownership enough to land the full-time job. He went 43-32 (.573) as Nets coach this season despite plenty of turmoil and led them to a playoff berth (where the Nets got swept in the first round by the Philadelphia 76ers). Now Vaughn will be getting the opportunity to handpick his staff for next season.