While some growing pains were to be expected, it's hard to imagine anybody predicted the Brooklyn Nets to get off to a 3-8 start. And while the play on the court has been underwhelming, there may also be some friction growing between first-year head coach Jason Kidd and assistant coach Lawrence Frank, according to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News.
This tidbit comes on the heels of a report from Bleacher Report's Howard Beck that featured some scathing quotes about Kidd's coaching competence. Specifically, a veteran NBA scout said Kidd "doesn't do anything," leaving most of the play-calling to Frank and assistant John Welch.
That's quite the harsh criticism of Kidd, who's learning on the job in a situation that demands immediate excellence. The Nets' win-now mentality made the decision to hire Kidd all-the-more curious, and based on the early results, it's looking like a big mistake. Hiring a coach with more experience to lead a veteran laden team may have been a better choice, but the Nets have made their bed with Kidd.
While Kidd and Frank are longtime friends, Isola reports that "something has changed" between the two. Perhaps a bit of a power struggle is brewing? Frank does have a wealth of NBA coaching experience, both as an assistant and as a head coach. Frank also coached Kidd in New Jersey, so it creates an interesting dynamic now that Kidd is the man in charge.
Despite the rough start, the injuries to key players and the rumblings of a feud on the coaching staff, things could somehow be worse for Brooklyn. The Eastern Conference, and especially the Atlantic Division, are woeful, so the Nets will have plenty of opportunities to get back into the playoff race.
And as Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski writes, Kidd may be "lost" now, but he's not a lost cause just yet. Kidd obviously has a brilliant basketball mind, and with all the work he puts in, one has to believe he'll get better at this coaching thing. The question is whether this will happen fast enough for the Nets, whose aging roster could also prove to be just as big a problem as the rookie head coach.
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