Scotto: Jordi Fernandez filling out coach staff with assistants from Denver Nuggets, Sacramento Kings
A happy snap of Nets assistant coaches and a Mike Scotto exclusive identifying new additions to the coaching staff and it appears things are in place. Just after the New York Liberty defeated the Seattle Storm, a contingent of Brooklyn Nets coaches gathered on the court at Barclays Center for a group photo, a moment captured by Doug Bearak of The BK Block.
Surrounding the team’s new head coach, Jordi Fernandez — who had sat courtside with Clara Wu Tsai — were six men who will presumably form the core of the 41-year-old’s coaching staff this coming season...
Left to right: holdovers Ryan Forehan Kelly and Corey Vinson; then new assistants Juwan Howard, former head coach at the University of Michigan: and Deividas Dulkys late of the Sacramento Kings. Then there was Fernandez, lead assistant Steve Hetzel, formerly of the Portland Trail Blazers: and Travis Bader, the Nets lead video coordinator last season.
Just minutes after the photo was taken, Mike Scotto of HoopsHype reported that Fernández is filling out his staff with a mix of incumbents and newbies, some but not all of whom were in the group photo...
Sources: The Brooklyn Nets will add Connor Griffin (Nuggets) and Deividas Dulkys (Kings) as assistant coaches to Jordi Fernandez’s staff. Adam Caporn, Ryan Forehan-Kelly and Corey Vinson will be retained. Trevor Hendry leaves after being with the Nets since the Kenny Atkinson era pic.twitter.com/0DZYbo6PNK— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) May 21, 2024
It had previously been reported that two of the group — Hetzel and Howard — were joining the Nets with Hetzel the lead assistant after a 19-year career with the San Antonio Spurs, Cleveland Cavaliers and Blazers. Scotto had also reported that Jay Hernandez, another assistant from Jacque Vaughn’s staff, would be staying on. The big news from Scotto’s tweet, however, was that he identified two new player development coaches: Griffin, who’s been with Denver (where he won a ring) the last two years, and Dulkys, a former Lithuanian professional player who worked in Sacramento with Fernández, also for the past two years.
That brings to eight the presumed number of Brooklyn assistant coaches, the same as last season although this group is a little less experienced. Few teams if any will have a larger staff this season than the Nets.
Other than Fernandez, none of the moves have been announced officially.
As previously reported by NetsDaily, Ronnie Burrell, who was G League Coach of the Year in 2023, will not be retained. Same with Kevin Ollie, who filled in for Jacque Vaughn after JV was dismissed in February. Will Weaver, Ollie’s lead assistant the last third of the season, also won’t be back.
There is no word on whether Caporn will continue in his role as director of player development, nor whether Bader will remain as head video coordinator or be promoted to an assistant, which has been a traditional route for Nets assistants.
New Nets HC Jordi Fernandez adds Connor Griffin, Deividas Dulkys to staff ($) - C.J. Holmes - New York Daily News
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