Nets make Kevin Ollie interim head coach
The Brooklyn Nets have decided to shift directions by firing head coach Jacque Vaughn.
The move pushes assistant Kevin Ollie into the interim head coach role. Ollie will serve the new position for the first time on Thursday night against the Toronto Raptors.
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Brooklyn is hoping the coaching change will help push the team back toward the right direction. The Nets sit on the outside looking for the final play-in tournament spot, trailing 1.5 games behind the 10th-seeded Atlanta Hawks.
Brooklyn has lost six out of their last 10 games, including riding a two-game skid heading into the second half of the season.
In two-plus seasons under Vaughn, the Nets held a 71-68 regular season record while losing all eight playoff games.
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“This was an incredibly difficult decision, but one we feel is in the best interest of the team going forward,” said Nets general manager Sean Marks in a statement. “Jacque has represented this organization with exemplary character and class for the past eight years. The consistent positivity and passion he poured into our team daily will remain with the players and staff he interacted with throughout his tenure. We thank Jacque for all he has done for the Nets and the borough of Brooklyn, and wish him, Laura and their family nothing but the best in the future.”
The Nets are looking to build the roster around forward Mikal Bridges, which will see the front office utilize its significant salary-cap space and draft assets to construct a roster that can compete.
