“I just gotta make them,” Bridges said of his shooting woes. “I think I’m just short on a lot of them probably these past couple games. I just gotta put a little more lift probably on it.”

Across his last three contests, Bridges has shot just 6-of-32 from the floor.

On the season, the 6’6″ wing is averaging 17.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game, all solid stats. He’s connecting on a just-mediocre 33.2% of his 6.8 three-point attempts per night, however. That represents a career-worst, and Bridges’ first time below 36% since his 2018/19 rookie season.

There’s more out of the Big Apple:

• The Knicks obliterated Milwaukee, 140-106, on Sunday, but a happy victory hardly erases New York’s recent slump, opines Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post (subscriber link). The team has gone 2-4 across its last six contests, a brutal stretch to follow up a nine-game win streak. Bridges’ recent shooting issues have been a concern, while All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns missed one of those losses with an injury. But it’s tough to excuse the team’s middling effort in its recent blowout loss to Oklahoma City, Vaccaro opines.
• Nets general manager Sean Marks is angling to capitalize on what’s expected to be a starry 2025 draft class, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Part of that goal includes prioritizing the future over the present, be that trading away veterans or thinking longer-term and not necessarily looking to win games now. Since opening night, Brooklyn has already dealt away veterans Dennis Schröder, Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton in the interest of draft equity and future cap space. “We’re going to have to be systematic with some of the decisions we make,” Marks told Lewis. “And they may not always be in line with winning the next game or putting the most talent out there.” For now, the 13-25 Nets have the sixth-worst record in the league, and thus the sixth-best lottery odds. “To be frank, you’ve still got to get a little lucky,” Marks said. “The hot-button topic has always been the draft. We all know we’ve still got to get lucky. At the end of the day, the Ping-Pong balls are going to drop a certain way.”
• While there has been some speculation that the Grizzlies could emerge as a real trade bidder for Nets forward Cameron Johnson, Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal remains somewhat dubious, tweeting that the two sides have yet to engage in significant talks with regard to a Johnson trade.

Brooklyn is believed to be asking for the equivalent of two first-round picks in exchange for Johnson. Lewis suggests that Sacramento could meet that price by offering rookie guard Devin Carter, along with a future first-rounder and other players to match salaries. That’s where input could be valuable from Fernandez, who spent two years as an assistant with the Kings before the Nets hired him as their head coach during the offseason, along with assistant coaches Deividas Dulkys and Dutch Gaitley, who also left Sacramento for Brooklyn.

“I look at the coaching staff and the front office — that relationship and that dynamic — as a partnership,” Marks said. “It’s not something where I’m telling you what to do and you go and do it, or vice versa. This is something that I should rely on them, because at the end of the day their experiences and their interactions with players — whether it’s from other teams or just being on the court — they’re up close. I’m not in the foxhole down on the court with them.

“So it would behoove me to talk to them and rely on their input. And I think, one, it’s being honest right off the get-go at the start of the season. And even before that when Jordi signed up. I mean, Jordi and I had heart-to-hearts of ‘hey, look, we’re going to build this and this is how we’re going to build it. We want to be a partnership together on this.’ So he’s been nothing but fantastic in that realm.”

There’s more from Brooklyn:

• In the same story, Cam Thomas talks to Lewis about the frustration of dealing with another strain of his left hamstring two games after returning from the first one. Thomas is guaranteed another long absence, as he won’t be reevaluated until January 19 when the Nets return from an upcoming six-game road trip. “Me dealing with what I’m dealing with is tough,” he said. “But we’ve still got enough guys in here to play; we’ve got to go out there and keep playing. I’m gonna keep fighting through, keep fighting through it. I’m going to just keep going.”
• Day’Ron Sharpe posted season highs with 16 points and 13 rebounds in 22 minutes Monday night, Lewis states in a separate story. Sharpe, who will be a restricted free agent this summer, is averaging 9.5 points and 8.0 boards in his last four games while shooting 53.3% from the field. “I feel like I still got some room to go. I just feel like this is the start of it,” he said. “About three games ago, I feel like I really was starting to feel like myself again. Just coming back from the injury and not playing for months, I’m just still trying to figure my way out. And I feel like this is the start of it.”
• It’s no secret that the Nets are tearing down their roster in hopes of landing a high lottery pick, but the players and coaches have offered a consistent public message throughout the process, per Bridget Reilly of The New York Post (subscription-only). “I wouldn’t say it’s hard. We all understand it’s part of the business, and that this is what we signed up for on Day 1,” said Keon Johnson, one of several young players getting increased minutes during the makeover. “But one thing we can control is what’s in front of us. Night in and night out, we don’t know who is going to be laced up. We don’t know who is going to be playing, but it’s just a better opportunity for everybody to be prepared and hope that your number is called.”

Johnson hopped off the floor and had imaging done in the locker room after the game. Although he avoided a major injury, Lewis reports that Johnson was on crutches in the locker room and looks like he may be sidelined for a while.

“All I know is it was super loud, trying to get the ball, and Cam was behind me,” Williams said. “Yeah, I don’t know (what happened). I have to look back. But yeah, man, I kind of ruined the night. I hope it’s nothing serious. I feel really bad right now, I can’t lie to you, man. Yeah, it sucks when you get hurt in a fashion like that.”

Johnson led the team with 26 points while shooting 10-of-16 from the field and 6-of-12 from three-point range. He’s in the midst of the best season of his career, and he’s Brooklyn’s top remaining trade asset after dealing away Dennis Schröder and Dorian Finney-Smith.

“Yeah, unfortunate. Unfortunate,” D’Angelo Russell said. “He’s a strong guy, though. I know he’ll be back soon, and he’ll be back stronger. I’m not worried about him. He’ll be all right.”

There’s more on the Nets:

• In an interview with Lewis, general manager Sean Marks says flexibility is the priority as he works to rebuild the team’s roster. The Nets have $70MM in projected cap space for this summer, along with more future draft picks than any other team. Marks eventually hopes to use those assets to bring star players to Brooklyn. “You have to be poised and position yourself to be able to have that opportunity,” he said. “We’re going to give ourselves the best chance to do that. Now, on whom and when, that’s TBD. But when we took over [in 2016], it was three or four seasons before we were able to say, ‘Hey, we’ve all of a sudden got a team that’s now able to contend. It’s a playoff team.’ And next year, you’re attracting a different caliber player … or players. So we know we’ve done it. We did it before. Now to be able to do it in this new CBA and hopefully reach that ultimate goal, we fell short. We didn’t come close. So the goal now is to be able to do it again, build it up and try and have another hit at it.”
• Despite rumors of acrimony when Russell was traded away in 2019, Marks was happy to reacquire him in the Finney-Smith deal, Lewis tweets. “D-Lo the player, we’re accustomed to him, we’re used to him, we’ve been around him,” Marks said. “He’s been in our family before. There’s a level of continuity just from familiarity with the person. So bringing him back into this group, it’ll be exciting.”
• The new two-way contract for Tosan Evbuomwan will cover two seasons, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

“I think you navigate the season as it goes, and you don’t go into a season saying this is where we’re going to be, this is how it’s going to end,” Marks said. “There’s a lot of unforeseen things. … You’ve gotta give credit to these players, they’re playing with a chip on their shoulder, the coaches are doing a helluva job, so that’s exciting to see. It’s exciting to see an identity being formed and a culture being driven. So who am I to push back on that?”

Marks is more concerned with building a strong foundation under new coach Jordi Fernandez than maximizing his draft pick, but he’s also aware of the upcoming opportunity to remake the franchise. Brooklyn has stockpiled 15 first-round picks over the next seven years, including four in 2025. Duke’s Cooper Flagg is considered the top prize in next year’s draft, and Marks has already been to multiple Rutgers games to watch Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper.

If the team misses out on those elite prospects because its pick isn’t high enough, Marks said he won’t be disappointed.

“Well, these guys [on the Nets] have done something really right if that’s the case,” he said, “and I love that.”

There’s more on the Nets:

• Cam Thomas is eager for another shot at the Knicks today after Friday’s narrow loss, relays Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Thomas had 43 points in that game, marking the second time he has reached the 40-point mark at Madison Square Garden in the past six months. “Yeah, he’s not afraid of the bright lights,” Fernandez said. “And I can tell you that from the first shot he took [on Friday]. … The good thing is you have another chance to do it again against the same team. They’re going to feel the same way and then he’s going to have to come back and perform again. So amazing performance by C.T., and very happy, because from the beginning, he kept us alive.” 
• Trendon Watford is off the Nets’ injury list and ready for his season debut, Lewis adds in a separate story. The fourth-year forward was expecting to be cleared in early November, but he experienced a setback in his recovery from a strained left hamstring. Watford re-signed with the team over the summer after averaging 6.9 points and 3.1 rebounds in 63 games last season.
• In a subscriber-only piece, Lewis examines whether the Nets have too much talent to make tanking a realistic option.

Hines, who won a pair of EuroLeague titles with Olympiacos (in 2012 and 2023) and two more with CSKA Moscow (2016 and 2019), also spent time with Veroli (Italy), Brose Bamberg (Germany), and Olimpia Milano (Italy) during his 16-year professional career.

The 6’6″ forward was named to the EuroLeague’s All-Decade team for the 2010s, claimed Best Defender honors in 2016, 2018, and 2022, and will retire as the EuroLeague’s all-time leader in games played (425). He also excelled in domestic competitions, winning three Italian League (LBA) championships to go along with six titles in the Russian League (VTB United) and one in the Greek League (GBL).

“When I didn’t get drafted (in 2008), what I thought would be one of the biggest disappointments in my life turned out to be my biggest blessing,” Hines wrote within a longer statement. “Coming to Europe gave me the opportunity to grow as a person. It allowed me to compete at the highest level. It allowed me to become a competitor, a leader, and champion. Off the court it has given me the opportunity to travel the world, meet so many great people, and share in some amazing memories that will last a lifetime.”

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

• Australia’s National Basketball League is expecting 25 NBA scouts and executives – representing 22 separate teams – to visit the Gold Coast to attend the league’s preseason tournament, the NBL Blitz, reports Olgun Uluc of ESPN. The eight teams not sending representatives are expected to scout NBL talent at a later date — the Trail Blazers, for instance, will instead attend the HoopsFest in Perth later this month, per Uluc. Nets general manager Sean Marks is among the most notable NBA executives expected to be at the NBL Blitz, according to Uluc, who notes that NBA teams will be able to scout draft-eligible prospects for 2025 and 2026 in addition to veterans who could eventually come stateside.
• A federal bankruptcy judge signed off on Diamond Sports Group’s new agreements with the NBA and NHL on Tuesday and approved the company’s parting of ways with the Pelicans and Mavericks, reports Anthony Crupi of Sportico. The same judge will preside over a status conference in early October, with a date for a final confirmation hearing expected to be set at that session. Diamond Sports – the owner of the Bally Sports networks that will regionally broadcast 13 NBA teams’ games in 2024/25 – is looking to exit bankruptcy this fall.
• An ESPN.com story explores a handful of individual NBA milestones that may be reached during the 2024/25 season, including Lakers star LeBron James potentially passing 50,000 career points (for the regular season and postseason) and becoming the league’s all-time leader in regular season minutes. James needs 1,364 more total points and 850 more regular season minutes to achieve those feats.

Robb believes that reserve big man Xavier Tillman, who has dealt with knee troubles in the last two seasons, still has room to grow at age 25. Robb also believes that Finals MVP swingman Jaylen Brown could improve his scoring efficiency.

Additionally, Robb touches on Tatum’s inconsistent postseason scoring, the team’s contracts, and what in-game elements the club can improve.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

• Knicks All-NBA point guard Jalen Brunson inked a four-year, $156.5MM contract extension with New York this summer — far less than the five-year, $269MM contract he could have signed as an unrestricted free agent last year. In an Insider-only story, Bobby Marks and Tim Bontemps of ESPN reflect on how the superstar guard’s below-market deal could impact the future of All-Star power forward Julius Randle – who has just become extension-eligible himself – and the rest of the roster.
• Nets owner Joe Tsai has “absolute confidence” that general manager Sean Marks can rebuild the club’s roster, a source informs Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscription required). Marks’ history of finding talent outside of the draft lottery is a major factor in ownership’s belief in the team’s longtime GM. “[Tsai has] absolute confidence in the ability of the front office to draft well,” that source said. “Sean’s track record there is very good: Jarrett Allen, Caris LeVert, Nic Claxton. [They took] Nic Claxton 31st in the draft. [Tsai] has every confidence in Sean.”
• In case you missed it, new Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez believes his experience coaching the Canadian national team helped him book the Brooklyn gig.

“We know that we wanted to do something sustainable and we wanted to win and build something very special. There were different avenues to do it, and this was a possible one,” Fernandez said. “We just couldn’t control if something (big came), what other teams would offer, so we’d just have to sit and wait. And (general manager Sean Marks) had his different avenues to get there. When the opportunity presented itself, he called me. I knew before it came out to the media, and I was very excited because I know how the NBA works and I know how good you can get when you have assets, flexibility and so and so forth. So I’m just very excited.”

Marks also confirmed that he and Fernandez talked about the possibility of a Bridges trade, explaining that he wanted to make sure the head coach knew what he was getting into when he accepted the Nets’ offer.

“It’s very important to be upfront when you’re hiring a coach — or any staff member for that matter — for them to know there’s a variety of different pathways we can go down,” Marks said. “We knew the flexibility that we had in terms of the roster, the cap, the salaries that we have, this (outcome) could be one of them. We’re not going to shy away from that. So, he knew well ahead that this was an avenue that we could be going down and has bought in completely.”

Here are a few more notes from around the Eastern Conference:

• Having already pushed back his salary guarantee date from June 29 to July 10, the Hawks are talking to Bruno Fernando‘s camp about postponing that deadline again, tweets Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Fernando has some incentive to give Atlanta more time with that decision if it increases his odds of remaining on the roster and earning his full $2.72MM salary for 2024/25.
• Following up on reporting that suggested the Raptors had been willing to offer free agent wing Gary Trent Jr. a deal worth $15MM per year when their negotiating window first opened, Michael Grange of Sportsnet (Twitter link) clarifies that most conversations the team had about Trent were internal. The front office discussed potential contract frameworks rather than formally putting an offer on the table, Grange says, adding that the Raptors told Trent’s camp after the draft that they were going in a different direction.
• Knicks draft-and-stash prospect Rokas Jokubaitis, the No. 34 overall pick in 2021, will be with New York’s Summer League team this month for the first time in three years, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Jokubaitis, who is under contract with Barcelona for one more season, would have been unavailable for Summer League if Lithuania had qualified for the Olympics, but the Lithuanians fell to Puerto Rico in the qualifying tournament final on Sunday.
• The Magic have quietly aced the offseason, according to Michael Pina of The Ringer, who wonders if Orlando is capable of becoming next season’s version of the 2023/24 Thunder and making the leap from solid team to one of the best in the conference.

“We will see results right away,” Fernandez said. “This industry is about getting results and getting better. So how much are you gonna get better? It’s how we believe the process is important.

“We know that there’s proper steps to take and we’ll see improvement right away. But the most important thing to me is to believe in team success over personal success.”

Fernandez added that he was enthusiastic about the young talent on Brooklyn’s roster, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post.

“The youth excites me,” Fernandez said. “When you have a young roster — and talented — that means you’re going to have those guys for a long time. So you can develop them, and then they can perform at their best, and they’re here with you. So that’s extremely exciting.”

Here’s more on the Nets:

• General manager Sean Marks said one of the reasons Fernandez stood out in the Nets’ head coaching search was his ability to coach players at various stages of their careers, according to Lewis. “Something that separates Jordi from a lot of the candidates (is), we found that he could look at a developmental roster, he could do various different pathways,” Marks said. “He’s coached stars before, he’s been the head director of development before so he’s worn many hats and there’s no roster that he’s not going to be able to get the respect of those guys.” Marks noted that as a big market, Brooklyn has an inherent ability to attract stars, which could accelerate the team’s timeline.
• Marks said the team expects Ben Simmons to be ready for training camp in the fall, as Adam Zagoria of NJ.com relays (subscription required). “There should be no reason not to,” Marks said. “I mean, the doctors and therapists and so forth have told us that he should be ready to go next season. Again, it’s going to be on Ben’s timeline. We’re going to have to see how he progresses through the summer.” Simmons was limited to 15 games in ’23/24 and underwent his second back surgery in two years last month.
• Another injured Net, Dariq Whitehead, should be ready to go for Summer League in a few months, Marks told reporters, including Lucas Kaplan of NetsDaily.com. The 2023 first-round pick had season-ending surgery for a stress reaction in his left shin back in January.
• They don’t currently control a draft pick in 2024, but Marks said the Nets could look to move into the draft if a player they like is available, Kaplan writes. Marks also suggested BJ Johnson, who is the team’s director of player evaluation, could be in line for a promotion after former front office executives Jeff Peterson and Ryan Gisriel left to join the Hornets. “I think some of our guys have done a terrific job,” Marks said, per Kaplan. “In terms of just simply drafting, I mean, you want to take BJ Johnson. BJ runs our draft and has done so for the last several years. So, there’ll be more pressure and more responsibility placed on several of the guys in-house here.”

“I’d go as far as saying they’ve been fretting over it because they’ve had to carve out the money for this,” Lewis said. “They want him back. … I think they’re reasonably confident that they can, as of today, come to some sort of an agreement.”

As for the Nets’ broader plans going forward, Lewis thinks the team will likely wait until 2025 – when Ben Simmons‘ maximum-salary contract comes off the books – to go “big-game hunting,” though that prediction came with a caveat.

“There are a few players who could accelerate that process,” Lewis said. “Donovan Mitchell is one of those few. … If another superstar becomes disgruntled – like Giannis (Antetokounmpo), if he decides he’s given a lot of great years to Milwaukee and wants to leave – there are a few players who’d make the Nets pivot off of waiting until 2025. The baseline right now is the summer of 2025.”

Here’s more on the Nets:

• Discussing the search that led to Brooklyn identifying Jordi Fernandez as its next head coach, Lewis said he has heard that Mike Budenholzer‘s contract demands were “rather high” in terms of both years and dollars, while Scotto says James Borrego was another candidate who received legitimate consideration from the Nets alongside their three reported finalists.
• Dennis Smith Jr. hopes to secure a multiyear contract in free agency this summer, according to Scotto. Asked if he sees himself returning to the Nets, Smith didn’t rule it out. “I don’t know. I wouldn’t mind it,” he said. “I’ve got a great relationship with these guys, and the medical and training staff is one of the best I’ve ever seen in the league – and I’ve got a real perspective on that because I’ve been around. I would welcome that.” For what it’s worth, Lewis believes Smith is more likely to land elsewhere than to remain in Brooklyn, particularly if he’s seeking multiple years.
• NetsDaily passes along some of the highlights from a Sean Marks Q-and-A session with fans at the HSS Training Center this week. The Nets’ president of basketball operations discussed the team’s roster-building approach in fairly general terms and left the door open to the possibility that the club could trade into this year’s draft.

At one point in mid-December, the Nets were 13-10. After Friday’s loss to the Knicks, they’re now 32-49 with one game left in the regular season.

However, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post, Marks will return as Brooklyn’s general manager next season. Multiple league sources tell Lewis that Marks will be in charge of hiring a new head coach, with the team expected to “cast a wide net” in its search.

“(Owner) Joe (Tsai) and I have always been in complete partnership,” Marks said in February. “And it doesn’t mean we always agree. I mean, you have to have good discussions and robust discussions, but Joe and I will make this decision, and he has given me no reason to believe that I won’t be able to make that decision.

“By the end of this I have no doubt that we’ll come and find the best person fit for this job.”

Marks has been Brooklyn’s GM since 2016. The Nets had made the playoffs each of the past five seasons prior to ’23/24, but were quickly eliminated in the first round on four of those occasions.

Interim head coach Kevin Ollie is expected to receive consideration for the permanent position. The Nets have gone 11-17 under Ollie, a longtime former NBA player who took over for Vaughn a couple months ago.

“Yeah, I’m the interim, so I’ve got to find out if I’m keeping the job first,” Ollie replied recently to a question from The Post about his status. “We’re going to have some exit meetings here shortly, probably Monday or Tuesday and then we’ll talk. I’ll talk with Sean, our medical staff.

“We do everything as an organization, we do everything as a community. We make sure we have the same voice, surround-sound system with our players, making sure we’re saying the same things. So we’ll have those talks.”

“It’s about the level of compete,” Marks said. “We’re not going to be the most talented team in the league. I’m not an idiot. I totally understand that. But at the same time, this is a talented group of young men out there. And my expectations, and I think their expectations, should be to hold each other accountable to do the little things. The effort plays, the loose balls, the contested shots and so forth, diving on the floor.

“These are things that should be expected when you’re in a place that we’re at right now, where we’re clawing and grappling for every single thing we can. That’s what I would hope to see over these next 28 games, and that’s probably, to be quite frank, some things I haven’t seen. The level of effort and the level of compete has not always been there.”

New interim head coach Kevin Ollie made that lack of energy and hustle a focus in his first practice with the club on Tuesday, as Bontemps details. Ollie pointed out that the Nets don’t recover enough loose balls or draw enough charges, referring to the team’s poor numbers in those categories as “losing basketball.”

“I got something called EGBs, which is energy generating behaviors, and it’s 17 behaviors of those things. And we went through the list extensively today,” Ollie said on Tuesday. “(They) have nothing to do with talent but everything to do with heart and will. And I think that’s what it comes down to.

“Remember, I played 15 years professionally, 13 years in this league, and never once (had) a coach call a play for me. I had to get it with grit. I had to get it with determination. I had to get it with a mindset that we’re going to get better each and every day. That’s how I coach, that’s what I’m going to demand. I want them to demand that from me, and that’s from day one.”

Here’s more on the Nets:

• Marks is under contract beyond this season, sources tell Ian Begley of SNY.tv, and the veteran Nets executive has a close relationship with team owner Joe Tsai. Marks told reporters on Tuesday that he has been given no indication Tsai won’t keep him around to run the team’s latest head coaching search this spring. “Joe and I have always been in complete partnership,” Marks said, per Bontemps. “And it doesn’t mean we always agree. I mean, you have to have good discussions and robust discussions, but Joe and I will make this decision, and he has given me no reason to believe that I won’t be able to make that decision.”
• Still, Marks’ future with the Nets has been a subject of speculation around the NBA, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype said on the HoopsHype podcast with Brian Lewis of The New York Post. According to Scotto, in the event that Marks remains in Brooklyn, one possibility floated in league circles is a scenario in which the Nets promote assistant general manager Jeff Peterson to GM and give him more day-to-day responsibilities while Marks stays above him in the front office hierarchy.
• Scotto and Lewis discussed many more Nets-related topics in the HoopsHype podcast, including the futures of players like Nic Claxton, Cam Thomas, and Ben Simmons in Brooklyn, Scotto also said there were rumblings that certain players – including Mikal Bridges and former Net Spencer Dinwiddie – weren’t thrilled by the fact that Vaughn’s offensive game plan focused so heavily on Simmons, who hasn’t been healthy for most of his time in Brooklyn.
• Bridges said on Tuesday that he wants to remain in Brooklyn long-term, per Dan Martin of The New York Post. “I’m here now and want to stay here,” Bridges said. “And I’m going to keep grinding and getting to wherever we’ve got to get to win, and that’s why I’m here for.” The Nets turned away trade inquiries this season on Bridges and their goal is to ultimately acquire a star or two to play alongside him, per Scotto.
• In a pair of stories for The New York Post, Mike Vaccaro wonders what it will take for the Nets to move on from Marks, while Zach Braziller identifies several potential candidates for Brooklyn’s permanent head coaching job. That list begins with Mike Budenholzer, whose name is “at the tip of everyone’s tongue” in discussing possible candidates, according to Scotto.

Brooklyn plans to pursue stars to pair with two-way wing Mikal Bridges, for whom the franchise has repeatedly turned down trade packages of first-round picks. Fischer notes that Damian Lillard had interest in teaming with Bridges last offseason, which is as an indication that other star players could follow suit in the future. With current players upset by the structure of the offense, per Fischer, the Nets felt it was best to stay as appealing as possible to outside free agents.

According to both Fischer and SNY’s Ian Begley (Twitter video link), there’s rising speculation that general manager Sean Marks could soon be out the door. While Fischer acknowledges Marks’ high standing with Nets governors Joe Tsai and Clara Wu Tsai, both note Vaughn is the third coach hired and fired by Marks.

Even though he wasn’t their first option last year, the Nets gave Vaughn the luxury of filling out most of his staff, something that is becoming less common. Kevin Ollie will be given the chance to make an impression as the interim head coach, though Fischer names Mike Budenholzer and James Borrego as potential options for the permanent job after this season.

We have more from the Nets:

• Vaughn issued a statement to ESPN after he was dismissed this morning, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). “To Joe Tsai, Clara Wu-Tsai, Ollie Weisberg, Sam Zussman, Sean Marks and front office, Nets coaches, staff, players, BSE family and the entire Brooklyn borough: It was a pleasure being your Head Coach,” Vaughn’s statement reads. “I hope each individual I interacted with felt respected and valued. Just know I gave you everything I had every single day. Onto the next chapter. Amor Fati.“
• Jalen Wilson, on a two-way contract with Brooklyn, made his first big in-game impression on the Nets when he recorded 21 points and 10 rebounds while getting to guard Giannis Antetokounmpo in a Dec. 27 loss to Milwaukee, The New York Post’s Andrew Crane writes. Wilson’s role has been steadily increasing as of late, and he’s played the final six minutes of the fourth quarter in each of the Nets’ past four games. Moving Royce O’Neale at the deadline opened up some minutes for the 6’8″ power forward, and he’s averaging 7.8 points in 25.8 minutes over his past five games while shooting 69.2% on his threes.
• The Nets acquired veteran point guard Dennis Schröder at the deadline from the Raptors and he’s immediately taking on a big role for his new team. Though his scoring average is down, Schröder is playing 25.3 minutes in his first three games with the team, including one start. In a subscriber-only story, Brian Lewis of the New York Post breaks down what Brooklyn is hoping to get from the vet and what the club can do for him.

We have more from the Eastern Conference:

• With a wealth of extra draft picks and some solid young players, the Knicks could be in line for the next star who demands a trade, Eric Pincus writes for Bleacher Report. The salaries of Derrick Rose and Evan Fournier could help facilitate a deal, along with potential younger trade pieces such as Mitchell Robinson, Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes and Obi Toppin.
• After getting burned by trying to build around superstars, the Nets will be looking to build around players who want to stay with the franchise, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes. GM Sean Marks will have a busy offseason but the thing he’ll be looking for the most is high-character guys who want to be part of the group. “It’s got to come authentically. It’s got to be real,” Marks said. “I mean, I think we’ve seen it before, not just here but around the league. You bring somebody in and it’s not authentic to who they are. We want to make sure people that want to come here want to be part of something special and being part of Brooklyn and part of this unique situation.”
• Former Pistons executive Rob Murphy and his legal representatives are firing back at the woman who accused him of harassment, Tresa Baldas of the Detroit Free Press reports. His lawyer alleged the Pistons cleared his client months ago of sexual harassment following an internal investigation. The same counsel added that Murphy looks forward to defending his name through the judicial process.

“Without a doubt we need to make some changes in terms of adding some size. I think (coach Jacque Vaughn) said it (Saturday) night, add a little nastiness,” Marks said. “Without a doubt we need to make some changes. Add a little bit of the Brooklyn grit that we’ve talked about for sort of six years.”

We have more on the Nets:

• In the same Lewis story, Marks remarked that he anticipates Ben Simmons to be 100 percent physically “probably by September 1st.” Marks has stated he doesn’t believe Simmons will require another back surgery. Marks also expressed confidence that Mikal Bridges can be the No. 1 scoring option going forward. “Regarding Mikal, I think he’s proven to a lot of people that his role can continue to get better and better and bigger and bigger, so I think I would be pretty silly to be up here and limit him and say he cannot be something,” Marks said. “I think that a few people have had their eyes opened to what he can do.”
• Re-signing restricted free agent Cameron Johnson is a high priority for Marks, Lewis writes in a separate story. Johnson, who was acquired in the Kevin Durant blockbuster, is not only a crucial piece on the court but a popular locker room presence. “Everybody sees what he delivers on the court, but when you see him in the locker room, it’s certainly refreshing to be around, and hopefully he’s here,” Marks said. “But he’s going to have decisions to make, so at the right time, we will certainly be having those discussions with him and his agent, and we hope that Cam will be back. He’s a big priority for us, there’s no question.”
• Thanks to dealing their superstars, the Nets have plenty of draft capital. Will they use it to pursue another star like Damian Lillard in a blockbuster deal? Perhaps, but Marks isn’t committed to that approach, Lewis writes. “That could happen, but at the same time, I don’t think we’re in any hurry. We’re not going to be pushed to make changes just for the sake of making changes.”
• Speaking of those draft picks, the Nets own the 21st and 22nd selections in the first round this June but some of the future first-rounders they acquired could eventually land higher. That potential scenario entices Marks, Alex Schiffer of The Athletic notes. “That’s one of the exciting things for us going forward, knowing that there’s only three other teams in the league that have more first-round picks than us from now until 2030.” he said. “So, that’s part of the pathway, right? This group has shown an ability to to draft well, and the coaches have shown an ability to really develop players well. So for me, looking forward to that is exciting.”

That means the Nets may seek suitors for Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale as they attempt to upgrade in other areas, Stein adds. Finney-Smith is signed through the 2025/26 season with the final year being a player option. O’Neale has one year left on his contract.

We have more on the Nets:

• Speaking of being active on the trade market, multiple league executives expect the Nets to make a run at Damian Lillard if the perennial All-Star and Trail Blazers decide he’d be better off in another uniform, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports. The Nets would likely have to add multiple first-rounders to include Ben Simmons in the trade. Alternatively, they could send the Blazers multiple players — including a quality young piece — and a couple of first-rounders.
• What is Johnson’s market value? According to execs that Scotto spoke with, he could get a four-year contract worth approximately $90MM. He’ll have some numerous suitors, including the Rockets.
• Bridges feels responsible for Brooklyn getting swept out of the postseason by Philadelphia, according to Ryan Dunleavy and Brian Lewis of the New York Post. Though he averaged 23.5 points in the series, he was held to 17 points in Game 4. “I feel like these past games, I’ve been letting my team down,” Bridges said. “I hate not [winning] a game for them. It hurts me as I’m just trying, but it’s part of it, man. I just own up to it and realize all you can do is just get better. That’s the biggest thing for me.”
• General manager Sean Marks confirmed a report that Simmons probably won’t need a second back surgery, Lewis tweets. “He is checking the boxes and meeting these different markers along the way,” Marks said. “So at this point, he does not need surgery. That is the hope going forward, that he will not have to endure another surgery.”