5 candidates who can replace Jacque Vaughn as Brooklyn Nets next head coach ft. Mike Budenholzer
The Brooklyn Nets fired Jacque Vaughn, who was in his second season with the team, on Monday morning, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The Nets were struggling to keep pace in the East.
The Brooklyn Nets (21-33, 11th in the Eastern Conference) sit outside the play-in tournament at the All-Star break. They lost their final game before the break by 50 points to the Boston Celtics.
Brooklyn released a statement regarding the decision to fire Vaughn.
“It was an incredibly difficult decision, but one we feel is in the best interest of the team going forward,” Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks said.
Vaughn is the third full-time head coach to be fired since Marks took helm of the front office. He is the sixth Nets HC since 2013.
Vaughn held a 71-68 record in more than two seasons in Brooklyn and was 0-8 in playoff games. The Nets will now look to replace Vaughn and attempt a run at the bottom playoff spots. Let’s see who might replace him in Brooklyn.
Five coaches who could replace Jacque Vaughn with Brooklyn Nets
No. 5 - Kevin Ollie
Ollie is one of the lead assistants on the staff. He could move up on an interim basis or perhaps full time. Ollie led UConn to a national championship as a coach at the college level in 2014. He also played in the league from 1997-2010.
No. 4 - Will Weaver
Weaver, a veteran assistant on the Nets bench, could get the nod. He has been an assistant in the league since 2013. He also won G League coach of the year in 2019. He could get a chance at the head job for the rest of the season.
No. 3 - Mike Budenholzer
Coach Bud could get the ball. He led the Bucks to an NBA title in 2021 and is a two-time coach of the year. He could get another chance at helming an NBA team after being fired by the Bucks in 2023.
No. 2 - Mike D’Antoni
The legendary offensive mind is currently a coaching advisor in New Orleans. He could get the itch to come back to the bench. The Nets have a young, athletic roster that could operate D’Antoni’s high-paced system if he wanted to return to coaching full time.
No. 1 - Terry Stotts
Stotts could get the call. He led the Portland Trail Blazers for years and has plenty of experience. He also was the HC of the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks. He most recently resigned from the Milwaukee Bucks just days before the season. He could be one of the first names the Nets call to fill their vacant role.