The Brooklyn Nets did not wait long after the season to reach an agreement with a new head coach, reportedly hiring Atlanta Hawks assistant Kenny Atkinson on Sunday.
The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the deal, citing league sources, adding that a formal announcement could be made "as soon as Sunday."
Wojnarowski noted Nets general manager Sean Marks "met with several candidates in recent weeks, but had long targeted Atkinson for the Nets job, sources said. Negotiations took place over the past several days and culminated with an agreement this weekend."
The biggest challenge for Atkinson will be coaching a team that's seemingly so far away from playoff contention. No team's long-term outlook is more bleak than Brooklyn's. The Boston Celtics own the Nets' first-rounders in 2016 and 2018, and they have the right to swap picks with the Nets in 2017.
With the team handicapped in the draft, marquee free agents might shy away from signing with Brooklyn, no matter how much money the team throws at a player.
The Nets' situation does allow Atkinson some freedom in his role, however. Since fans won't expect immediate success, they can take a risk on a younger and potentially more inexperienced coach in the hopes he and the team grow together.
