Jacque Vaughn will lead the Brooklyn Nets into the NBA’s restart as their interim coach. If he wants to remove the interim tag, he’ll need an impressive showing later this month in Orlando. The odds of this happening are stacked against him.
The Nets, 28-34, parted ways with head coach Kenny Atkinson in March. Vaughn went 2-0 as coach before the league suspended the season due to the coronavirus.
NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic believes Vaughn will receive strong consideration.
“I really do think the Nets will give Jacque Vaughn a legitimate opportunity to win the job,” Charania told the Load Management podcast in June.
It’s true that Vaughn’s tenure as interim coach hasn’t produced a large enough body of work for analysis. But there’s also a few other hurdles which must be cleared. Let’s examine them.
The Roster
For evaluators, what Vaughn lacks in game tape he makes up for in handling adverse situations. Two games into his new role, a pandemic followed. Four players on the roster then tested positive for coronavirus, including Kevin Durant.
Vaughn didn’t even have time to sit in his new office before the lights temporarily went out. Fast forward to now, the league is less than a month from restarting. Wilson Chandler told ESPN he’s opting out of playing in Orlando. DeAndre Jordan and Spencer Dinwiddie have confirmed positive tests for coronavirus.
Jordan made it clear he will be unavailable to play in Orlando. Dinwiddie is still weighing his options.
That’s two key players, and a possible, Vaughn won’t have when the league resumes its season. When you add the injured Durant and Kyrie Irving to the list, that’s five.
Then there’s Nic Claxton, the rookie will miss the rest of the season after undergoing labrum surgery. With Claxton’s unavailability for Orlando, that makes six.
There’s no overlooking the impact COVID-19 has had, and will continue to have, on the Nets and the NBA.
Brooklyn’s heading into the resumed season, without Durant and Irving, with low expectations. Vaughn’s coaching a depleted roster while also proving himself to upper management.
Vaughn must navigate through 8 regular season games for the playoffs push.
The Nets hold a half-game lead over the Orlando Magic for the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference. Brooklyn’s first two games are against the Magic and the Washington Wizards.
The Magic and Wizards (six games back in the ninth position) are the two teams chasing Brooklyn. Vaughn must hit the ground running.
If the Nets qualify for the playoffs, they’ll face slim chances of making a deep run. They’re too many unknowns with this roster. A quick out, or not even qualifying, dooms any chance Vaughn has at keeping the job.
But getting in with a depleted roster — while also keeping the team focused and engaged — will go a long way in the team’s evaluation of him.
Additionally, a competitive first-round appearance will turn more eyes towards Vaughn.
The Candidates
Vaughn already has two major hurdles to clear. But the largest hurdle will likely be the final one — his place on the list of potential candidates.
Tyronn Lue. Jason Kidd. Jeff Van Gundy. Mark Jackson. Tom Thibodeau. Phil Handy. Mike Brown.
Vaughn’s resume and reputation are commendable; however, he doesn’t carry the name recognition of the potential candidates.
The Nets have positioned themselves to contend for a championship when Durant and Irving return to the court. The lure of a big-name coach might be too big for general manager Sean Marks to pass on.
Lue and Brown have coached Irving — Brown has coached Irving and Durant. They both have experience coaching teams led by NBA superstars. Van Gundy, Jackson, and Thibodeau have New York ties and bring strong name credibility.
Experience
Vaughn’s only other NBA head coaching job came with the Orlando Magic, he left there with a 58-158 coaching record. However, that was a very young team with a flawed roster, and without a star player. The experience Vaughn obtained during that time is invaluable.
Vaughn’s experience — along with his time in San Antonio as a player, assistant coach, and scout for Gregg Popovich — won’t be overlooked. Marks also knows him from their time together with the Spurs.
Familiarity with Brooklyn’s culture should work in favor of Vaughn. Marks hired him to be Atkinson’s lead assistant in 2016. He’s been instrumental in helping mature the Nets into a potential title contender. Vaughn knows what Marks wants and expects of his coaches.
“This is a guy that comes from the Spurs background, has the same pedigree as Sean Marks, has — as far as I know he does a good job at working with players, building that relationship,” Charamina added.
Vaughn will get serious consideration from the Nets, but he has some tall hurdles to clear. He can begin making his case in Orlando when the NBA returns.
