When the Lakers fired Mike Brown five games into the 2012/13 season, many observers felt that the team should have given Brown more time to get everyone on an overhauled roster on the same page. Avery Johnson received a little more time from the Nets than Brown did from the Lakers, but it was still a surprising decision.
The Nets fired Johnson mere weeks after he was named Coach of the Month for November, and Avery Johnson Jr. isn't the only one that feels the move was premature. The Nets were just 14-14 when the change was made, a pace not far off from what many predicted for the team, as Grantland's Zach Lowe pointed out yesterday. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich lamented the Nets' impatience with Johnson at San Antonio's shootaround today, calling Johnson a "very good coach" who was victimized by circumstances (link via Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News).
On the other hand, the Nets were coming off a pair of embarrassing losses, and Deron Williams had publicly questioned Johnson's offensive system last week. Throw in Kris Humphries' demotion and the mixed results of Johnson's small-ball lineup, and there were enough factors in play to make a case that coaching decisions were becoming a real concern in Brooklyn.
What do you think? Should the Nets have given Johnson more time to right the ship, or was it time to make a change?
Nets players admitted the impact of Lopez’s inj was massive and considering they’re depth is shit & Humphries wants out its crazy Avery was made scapegoat. They do not have the depth or impact players to win like that owner wants.
The team has unrealistic expectations, adding Joe Johnson doesn’t suddenly make a terrible NJ team a good BYK team
I am a Nets fan, and I was shocked Johnson was fired. I think he really got screwed. The guy waited a long time to coach a decent team. It is not his fault that D-Will and JJ have been sub-par and Lopez got hurt.
However, I am hoping that this gives Brooks some more playing time.