The Brooklyn Nets have fired their head coach Jacque Vaughn. The move comes after a disappointing first part of the season that saw the Nets compile a 21-33 record, good enough for the 11th spot in the Easter Conference standings.
The Nets elevated assistant Kevin Ollie to serve as the interim head coach. Ollie is expected to finish the season before the franchise embarks on a search for a permanent head coach in the summer.
Vaughn, who played 12 years in the NBA as a point guard, has been part of the Nets’ coaching staff since 2016. He primarily served as an assistant before being hired as the interim head coach early in the 2022-23 season after the firing of Steve Nash. Less than two weeks later, Vaughn got the job on a permanent basis.
As the head coach of the Nets, Vaughn was 71-68, including a short interim stint in 2019–20. He led Brooklyn to playoffs last season, where they were swept by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round.
“This was an incredibly difficult decision, but one we feel is in the best interest of the team going forward,” Nets general manager Sean Marks said in a statement. “ … 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.”
Kevin Ollie is in his first season as an NBA assistant. He previously served as the head coach of UConn and spent time with Overtime Elite.
