Former Detroit Pistons Coaching Candidate Won’t Keep Role With Nets
The Detroit Pistons' Eastern Conference rival have hired a new head coach.
Last year, the Detroit Pistons considered hiring Kevin Ollie to become the franchise’s next head coach after Dwane Casey stepped down. While Ollie was the favorite for some time, Detroit managed to lure in former Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams.
Ollie’s next move landed him on the Brooklyn Nets’ coaching roster. He became a top assistant for Jacque Vaughn, who took over for the fired Steve Nash two seasons ago.
During the 2023-2024 NBA season, Vaughn found himself in a similar position as Nash, which led Ollie to taking over for the rest of the Nets’ 2023-2024 run.
The 28-game stretch offered Pistons fans a chance to see what could’ve been as Ollie took over in Brooklyn. Unfortunately for the former player-turned-coach, the situation with the Nets didn’t improve much under his leadership.
Ollie’s stint offered an opportunity to land the Nets’ coaching job long-term. However, Brooklyn is expected to hire Sacramento Kings assistant, Jordi Fernandez, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Under Ollie, the Nets achieved an 11-17 record. They finished the season off with 32 wins and 50 losses, which placed them 11th in the Eastern Conference. One season after getting into the playoffs as the sixth seed, the Nets joined the Pistons in missing all postseason play.
What’s next for Ollie? That isn’t clear at this time. While he could remain in place with the Nets, a new coaching hire suggests that changes across the coaching staff could be coming in Brooklyn.
