Kevin Durant took a shot at Steve Nash by claiming new Brooklyn Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn is on the ‘same vibe’ as him.
Earlier this offseason, Durant dropped a bombshell on the Nets organisation when he handed in his trade request and allegedly gave the franchise an ultimatum to either fire general manager Sean Marks and coach Steve Nash or send him to another team. Ultimately, wounds were healed and all parties appear to be confident the 34-year-old is remaining in Brooklyn for the long term, particularly with Nash out the building.
However, a turbulent start to the season has once again ensured Durant’s future is uncertain amid a 6-9 record as well as off-court controversy. On Tuesday, the Nets suffered a historic 153-121 defeat to the Sacramento Kings - who haven’t qualified for the playoffs since the 2005/06 season - and it was the most the opposition had scored in a single game for 29 years.
Amid their poor start to the season, the Nets fired Nash and handed the reins of the franchise to stalwart assistant coach Vaughn. Vaughn secured instant results and better performances, but the continued plight of Ben Simmons paired with poor losses have led to further calls.
After the loss to the Kings, Durant aired a number of frustrations with the Nets and wider speculation concerning his future. He also commented on the differences between Nash and Vaughn, appearing to call out the former two-time NBA MVP for his style.
“I wasn’t feeling that, and nobody was on that same vibe with me,” Durant told Bleacher Report. “Jacque Vaughn is. I had some complaints in the summer, and my complaints were not about just me; it was about how we are moving as a unit.
“I want us to be respected out here in the basketball world. I don’t want players to look at us and say, ‘Oh man, these [expletive] are full of s***. That’s not the type of team I want to be on.’ So when we’re all playing like s***, you know the one person they’re going to look at. That’s why I requested a trade.”
Vaughn has been with the organisation since 2016, primarily serving as an assistant coach, although he was interim head coach in March 2020 following former coach Kenny Atkinson’s mid-season departure. The 47-year-old has previously been head coach of the Orlando Magic, holding the position between 2012 and 2015.
The Nets, who have suffered successive defeats to the Los Angeles Lakers and Kings, will hope to return to winning ways when they face the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night.
