With the NBA being such a player-dominated league, it's fair to say it's unusual for a team to make a significant coaching change without alerting their star players - but that's exactly what happened in Brooklyn on Tuesday.
After a poor start to the season, the Nets confirmed that they parted ways with their head coach Steve Nash after just eight games into the new campaign. Much was expected of the Nets this season with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving remaining with the team, along with the acquisition of three-time All Star Ben Simmons, but with a 2-6 record and looking extremely dysfunctional, the Nets decided to make the coaching change.
The legendary Hall of Fame point guard Nash had spent two years at the franchise, as he was given the seal of approval by Durant after the two worked together with the Golden State Warriors. Nash had been in a consultancy role with the team, with Durant crediting him for improvements in his game.
And although Durant, along with his teammates and Nash himself have all looked frustrated to begin the new NBA season, he admitted that he was surprised to hear that Nash had been relieved of his duties.
Player empowerment is at an all-time high in the NBA. Besides the NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement, it's not unusual for star players to have a big say in who their teams attempt to recruit as free agents, as well as who they would like as their head coach.
Most notably, multiple reports have suggested that LeBron James has been a deciding factor in multiple head coaching hirings, since his days with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
And whilst it seems that Durant had a say in the Nets bringing in Nash as their head coach, the superstar forward had no pulling power in Nash's position to remain as the head coach - revealing he was ASLEEP when the move took place.
Durant said: "About 1:15 pm, I woke from my nap, turned to the right, and seen it on ESPN. ... I was shocked. You're always shocked when this happened. But it's normal in the NBA. It's about getting ready for the game tonight. It's a quick turn always in the league, especially during the season. You've got practice, games coming up, so you can't think too much about it. It was on my mind for a little bit today."
On why it didn't work out with Nash, he added: "We didn't have a healthy team. We just didn't play well. And that's what happens in the league. S--- happens. That doesn't take away from Steve's basketball IQ, how he teaches the game. I don't think that takes away from anything. It just didn't work out."
The Nets are now expected to hire current suspended Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka, in a controversial move with Udoka still under contract with Boston but suspended after violating team policies regarding an improper intimate relationship with a female staff member on the team.
