How Much Weight Does This Season Hold for Nets Head Coach Jordi Fernandez?

When it comes to rebuilding, NBA fans are almost always torn on teams losing for draft position. A large crowd believes in the philosophy of dropping games for a higher chance at a superstar prospect, while others are firmly in the competitive corner, hoping their team shows fight.

That topic will be hotly debated once again regarding the Brooklyn Nets.

The Nets, more than any team, are rebuilding with extreme patience. They have accumulated a handful of draft picks for the rest of the decade and have plenty of cap space to use at the right time. After a short era of title contention under Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn hit the reset button from top to bottom regarding the roster and coaching staff.

The new-ish man at head coach is Jordi Fernandez, entering his second season on the job. There weren't many expectations for the Spaniard, as the Nets were projected to win under 20 games last season, however, many fans were pleased to see them exceed that mark.

While a good chunk of the Nets community wanted to see the team finish lower and have a better shot at the No. 1 pick, Fernandez coached Brooklyn to a 26-56 record, good for 12th in the Eastern Conference. It still wasn't a pretty season, but many were quick to point out how much the team improved at certain points in the year, notably on defense.

After going 3-13 in January 2025, the Nets followed it up with a much-improved 6-5 February. They allowed just 105 points per game, posting a sub-100 defensive rating on multiple occasions. Fernandez's coaching appeared to be rubbing off on the young core, even without their star Cam Thomas for 10 of those 11 games.

This season, Brooklyn could look even worse with more veterans gone and replaced with rookies. The team has five first-round picks set to make their debuts, and there's very little doubt that there will be growing pains.

On the flip side, we've Fernandez's effect on the organization, and it wouldn't be ludicrous to say that the Nets could slightly exceed expectations once again.

Either way, this season won't define any part of Fernandez's early career. With a team projected to struggle, he doesn't have much to lose this season. If the Nets falter and end up high in the lottery, he most likely keeps his job, but winning would certainly improve his view within the organization.