Jordi Fernandez is entering his third season as head coach of the Brooklyn Nets, but the circumstances surrounding the team will be different from his first two years in charge.
Brooklyn won just 46 games combined over the past two seasons while its roster went through significant changes.
Fernandez had limited opportunity to focus on winning during that period as the organization concentrated on rebuilding.
The Nets aren’t expected to be among the league’s top teams this season, but they have more reason to compete for wins because they don’t control their own first-round pick.
That should give Fernandez a better opportunity to coach with short-term results in mind.
Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle are expected to lead the offense. Both veteran forwards have spoken about the possibility of Brooklyn performing better than expected this season.
Randle could be particularly important. The two-time All-NBA forward has shown inconsistency during his career, but he previously played a major role in helping the Knicks improve after arriving in New York in 2019.
Getting consistent production from him could help the head coach establish a more stable team.
Despite Brooklyn’s poor results over the past two seasons, Fernandez has developed a positive reputation around the NBA.
His third year with the Nets will provide a better opportunity to show what he can do with a roster more focused on competing.
