Jordi Fernandez Blames Nets’ Defensive Struggles on ‘Lack of Experience’

Last season, the Brooklyn Nets finished with a bottom-10 defense. With a second offseason under Head Coach Jordi Fernandez, given his persona and emphasis on effort and toughness, that area seemed primed to improve.

But it hasn't. In fact, Brooklyn has conceded the most points through four games of a season in franchise history (522). That's not only a league-worst, but also an embarrassment for a team that employs such quality defenders, specifically in Nic Claxton, Ziaire Williams and Terance Mann.

Granted, the Nets are still young and not expected to seriously compete this season; however, that isn't stopping Fernandez from searching for answers.

“A lot of it is just lack of experience,’’ Fernandez told Brian Lewis of the New York Post after giving up 137 points in a loss to the Houston Rockets on Monday. “But we’re going to challenge them. The coaches are great and we’re going to find a way to challenge, to sustain the focus every possession. It doesn’t matter if you play 20 seconds, if you play three minutes, if you play 10 minutes, your attention to detail and your effort has to be there. And I know the guys will learn from it.”

One of the most egregious examples of Brooklyn's defensive woes can be found on the fast break. The Nets also show a lack of effort getting back on defense, allowing easy running lanes to the hoop. Fortunately, the players, specifically Day'Ron Sharpe, are at least aware of the issue.

“They [were] getting out in transition [and] no one was getting back,’’ Sharpe said. “We’ve got to talk better on defense…it’s just all the things on defense. We can’t have too many lapses of not talking or [being] in the wrong position.”

Williams, who has sat out of two straight contests, could be a major factor in the product improving. His two performances outside of a stellar 25-point showing have been quite lackluster, but injuries and overall roster turnover could be to blame there. Nets fans know what kind of scrappy menace he can be when fully healthy, and familiarity with his new teammates will build over time.

Now, Williams alone isn't going to fix things. His presence should certainly help, but Fernandez and the rest of the coaching staff will have to get together and approach this from a schematic sense. Sure, the effort could be better, but poor effort by itself doesn't allow teams to score nearly 140 points in regulation.

Something has to change, and fast, or else the 2025-26 campaign could get much uglier for Brooklyn than was initially expected.