"I love Steve Nash, but I think there's a lot of things they could have done differently" - Stephen Jackson believes the Brooklyn Nets coaching should be blamed equally for the team's failures
The Brooklyn Nets were the favorites to win the NBA championship last season. However, the Nets endured a tough season filled with injuries and drama. Some blamed Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving for the team's failure, but a former NBA player criticized Steve Nash's coaching.
In an interview with SNY's Ian Bagley, Stephen Jackson was asked about the Nets' current predicament. Jackson said Durant and Irving do not deserve to shoulder all the blame. He said Nash could have done better, especially in the playoffs when the Nets got swept in the first round.
"It's been a lot going on, so I can't just say that it’s entirely on them,” Jackson said. "For me, knowing the game and watching the game, I don't like the coaching situation. I love Steve Nash, but I think there's a lot of things they could have done differently.
"Lineups in the playoffs, not playing Blake Griffin until the last minute. There's a lot of things that went wrong."
From earlier: At premier of Kevin Durant’s ‘NYC Point Gods’, Stephen Jackson was asked about BKN’s lack of success. It’s not entirely on Durant & Kyrie Irving, he says.
“I don’t like the coaching situation,” he says of Steve Nash. Details on that & film: sny.tv/articles/forme…
Some Nets fans share Jackson's sentiment. However, Brooklyn has continued to support its coach. He will return to the bench next season, his third year in charge. The Nets made the playoffs in his first two years, but both ended in disappointment.
In 2021, the Nets were eliminated by the Milwaukee Bucks. Durant almost sent the team to the Eastern Conference finals, but his feet were too big.
Entering last season, they were the favorites but became handicapped by Irving's vaccination status. James Harden then demanded a trade, and Durant suffered a knee injury that caused him to miss a month. The team's play went downhill from there, but KD returned to guide Brooklyn into the playoffs. However, the Boston Celtics swept the Nets in the first round.
Will the Brooklyn Nets trade Kevin Durant this offseason?
It has been about a month since Kevin Durant requested a trade out of the Brooklyn Nets. However, things have not changed for both sides. Durant is still in Brooklyn, while the Nets are not interested in lowering their demands. The Nets are reportedly looking for a pretty huge haul for their superstar.
KD initially listed the Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat as his preferred destinations. However, the Suns will have a hard time acquiring him after they matched DeAndre Ayton's offer sheet. Meanwhile, the Heat are reluctant to part ways with Bam Adebayo.
The Golden State Warriors were linked to a possible reunion, but team president Bob Myers shut that notion down. The Toronto Raptors tried their luck, but the Nets wanted Scottie Barnes in return. The most recent team to dive into the KD sweepstakes was the Boston Celtics.
Boston reportedly offered Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and a first-round pick, but the Nets declined, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The Nets wanted to add Marcus Smart and more first-round picks.