On April 26, Beijing time, according to the famous Mark Stein, Nets coach Steve Nash is unlikely to be fired by the team. There had been rumors that Nash would be sidelined if the Nets were swept out, but Stein revealed that Nash still had the support of Durant and Nets owner Tsai Chongxin.
Stein said Tsai was somewhat impulsive and unpredictable, and it was difficult to interpret how he would deal with being eliminated in the first round of the season. Nash got the Nets job without any coaching experience, and Durant and Tsai were both supportive. As long as he can continue to get the support of the two, it is unlikely that he will be fired by the team.
ESPN star Wanaroske also reported on some of the Nets' developments. The first is Ben Simmons, who yesterday told the team that he had a sore back and finally decided not to play in today's G4, which surprised and disappointed the Nets team and players. Wonarowski reported that Simmons met with agent Rich Paul today with Nets manager Sean Max and other management to discuss how to continue working to overcome physical and mental obstacles to get Simmons back on the court.
Simmons reiterated his desire to represent the Nets during the meeting, where the two sides discussed how they could work together to achieve this goal. Both sides believe simmons have recovered well in the last two weeks, but ultimately believe that Simmons still needs to address physical and psychological obstacles before he can make his comeback. The Nets believe Simmons still need more recovery time. Simmons had planned to make a comeback in Game 4 of the series, but was eventually sidelined by back pain.
Warnaroski also reported on some of the options the Nets face in the offseason. In terms of draft picks, the draft picks they get through The Harden deal have to decide whether to use them before June 1 (local time), and if they use it this year, it will be the 23rd pick in the first round of 2022, and they can also choose to become the first round pick in 2023. Warnaroschi said the Nets would consider whether to use the first round as a future trading chip rather than using it themselves.
In addition, Weonarowski revealed Bruce Brown's potential offer in the market. "His salary is probably between $12 million and $14 million, and the Nets have to sign him." Brown's annual salary this season is only $4.7 million, and as long as the Nets are willing to bid, the possibility of Brown returning is still very large. Irving's contract extension is also pending, if Irving decides not to execute the player's option, the Nets can give him a big contract with a total of $248 million, Irving wants to continue with Durant, and Durant's contract has been signed until 2026. The Nets, of course, also have to evaluate to see if Irving is worth such an offer, after all, his attendance is a big problem.
Given Brown's potential contract extension with Irving, Warnarowski noted that the Nets' total spending (salary + luxury tax) next season will reach between $345 million and $350 million, almost comparable to the Warriors.