Nets' Head Coach to Play Crucial Role in Rebuild

Jordi Fernandez will be a catalyst in Brooklyn developing its young talent.

December 16, 2023; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings associate head coach Jordi Fernandez during the second quarter against the Utah Jazz at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez already has fans excited as the team enters the first official year of a rebuild. The Nets hired Fernandez to be the team's head coach back in April, shortly after a 32-50 season.

Since hiring Fernandez, Brooklyn has taken the right steps in igniting the rebuild. In June, the Nets made a flurry of blockbuster trades, sending Mikal Bridges to the Knicks for a plethora of first-round picks, while also acquiring their own 2025 first-round pick back from the Houston Rockets.

Fernandez, although set to coach what will likely be one of the worst teams in the NBA, has a foundation to showcase his player development skills. The head coach of the Canadian national team served as an assistant with the Denver Nuggets and Sacramento Kings, both playoff teams in his tenure. Fernandez was also a player development coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers, when they first drafted now-superstar Kyrie Irving.

With the Nets, Fernandez looks to emphasize building the team's young core of Cam Thomas, Jalen Wilson, Noah Clowney, and Dariq Whitehead, among others. He'll also have the opportunity to work with experienced veterans like Dennis Schroder, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Cameron Johnson, which means he will be tasked with finding that dynamic between the two age groups.

In an interview with YES Network's Sarah Kustok, Fernandez's philosophies include fast-paced offense, selflessness, and development, all great things to hear.

It's reminiscent of the 2018-19 Nets under now-Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson. The Nets were fun, but gritty, and thrived under a unique style of play, one Fernandez could potentially emulate with his new team.

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