Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez is stepping down from his post as head coach of the Canadian senior men’s national basketball team, Sportsnet’s Michael Grange reports.
Fernandez replaced Sixers coach Nick Nurse as Canada’s head coach in 2023 and led the team to a bronze medal in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Canada was knocked out of the Paris Olympic tournament in the quarterfinals.
Fernandez had indicated as recently as last month that he planned to remain Canada’s head coach. When asked about his status, Fernandez replied, “In fairness to Canada Basketball, I want them to make the announcement. And then once they do, I’ll be able to answer all your questions.”
Canada Basketball confirmed the news on Thursday morning, announcing that Fernandez is stepping away to focus on his job with the Nets and to spend more time with his family.
We have more from the around the international basketball world:
- With the Warriors finalizing a trade for Jimmy Butler on Wednesday, they had to deal with the consequences as they prepared to face Utah. Coach Steve Kerr had to scrap his gameplan, since Andrew Wiggins and Dennis Schröder are part of the multi-team trade. Kerr suggested that the trade deadline should be pushed to the All-Star break, so that type of uneasy situation might not occur. “I think the league should consider making the trade deadline at the All-Star break just so you don’t have to face these games where guys are getting traded half an hour before a game and you’re trying to process the emotions and trying to win a game,” Kerr said, per Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. “I don’t know if it’s possible.” It should be noted the trade deadline used to occur during the All-Star break and sometimes overshadowed the All-Star festivities, plus trades can happen any time before the deadline.
- The NBA plans to create a new league in Europe would have to overcome major obstacles and The Athletic’s Joe Vardon details one of them. Paris, one of the prime spots for an NBA Europe team, might be off-limits because Paris Basketball has exclusive rights for play in both of the major arenas in the city.
- Tim Hardaway Sr., Jeremy Lin, Chris Mullin and Mitch Richmond were named the honorary coaches for the All-Star Rising Stars event, the NBA announced (Twitter link). The quartet all played for the host Warriors. Hardaway, Mullin, and Richmond drafted their seven-player teams for the competition, while Lin will coach a group of G League standouts. The rosters can be found here. The winner of the Rising Stars event on Feb. 14 will compete in a four-team tournament against the NBA All-Star teams two days later.
- Former Suns player John Shumate passed away this week at the age of 72, John Gambadoro of 98.7 Phoenix tweets. He was the No. 4 overall pick in the 1974 draft by Phoenix and worked for the Suns organization for 25 years.
Maybe Kerr should stop crying about Curry not having help and kept their best one on one defender instead of trading him for a old star.
From what I’ve read, both Curry & Kerr were against the Butler trade
arc89,
No doubt, Wiggins was our best on-on-one defender. Bu let’s talk in 1 month when you’ve had a chance to evaluate Butler’s one-on-one defense. I’m confident you’ll see that Butler is better at that. Wiggins has a few defensive capabilities that Butler does not, but Butler is eltie at pressuring the ball. If you want to see *clamps*, watch the Miami-Celtics Eastern Conference Final in 2023.
There are things not to like about Butler, but this isn’t one of them.
OK, let’s get to the Butler love-hate…5-4-3-2-1…
there is a lot of weight on Butler since he will be looked at the savoir of the season. He better perform and play through injuries or the fans will turn on him quickly. How good the west is this year its going to be a tough up hill battle.
Jimmy is the hustle wing that Wiggins only became once (during the finals) and never again.
He is also capable of off ball screening for curry, which Wiggins always seems to miss those opportunities.
Finally, jimmy is a god. Hefty price, but if you dont do it you def dont win on this last little curry/draymond run
Kerr is right. But for fans it’s exciting to have players lives upended like this. The sad side of sports, although not as bad all the new gambling addicts the NBA created.