Testing times in Brooklyn at all levels of the organisation…
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The Brookyln Nets front office are “evaluating” both the players and Lionel Hollins, with the coach under pressure to turn things around for the rest of the season according to reports.
The Nets have lost eight of their last 10 games as they slip out of the playoff spots in the Eastern Conference, and it is a continuation of their struggles in recent times following the failure of their expensive gamble last season.
Speculation has linked the front office with trying to offload big contracts on the current roster, with the likes of Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson rumoured to be on the move before the deadline next month.
However, it doesn’t appear as though the players are the only ones that could be changing, with reports claiming that Hollins is also under pressure after failing to improve their chances after replacing Jason Kidd last summer.
“The Brooklyn Nets, increasingly worried about a recent lack of competitiveness, have launched an in-season evaluation of various facets of the team, including new coach Lionel Hollins, according to league sources,” ESPN’s Marc Stein reported.
“The Nets lost consecutive road games last week to the Los Angeles Clippers and Utah Jazz by 39 and 35 points, respectively, sparking concern within the organization about whether Hollins’ message is getting through. It’s just the fifth time in NBA history that a team has lost back-to-back games by 35 points or more.
“Nets ownership, sources said, is monitoring the situation closely, with Brooklyn having just fallen out of the East’s top eight after a 2-10 slide that coincides with the franchise being up for sale.”
Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated countered that report by insisting that Hollins’ job is safe in Brooklyn, but if their slump continues, then that situation will undoubtedly change.
Owner Mikhail Prokhorov and general manager Billy King have adopted a ‘win now’ strategy since 2010 and in turn have sacrificed the long-term outlook. As a result, they will now have to try and find deals to give them more flexibility in their rebuild.
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