Nets fire Hollins, reassign GM King
NEW YORK — Billy King’s bold moves often seemed made with little regard for the future.
Now Brooklyn’s future isn’t King’s concern.
The Nets reassigned their general manager and fired coach Lionel Hollins on Sunday in the midst of their worst season since moving from New Jersey.
The Nets said assistant Tony Brown will serve as the interim head coach, and the GM position will remain open until a replacement is hired.
“It’s clear from our current state of affairs that we need new leadership,” owner Mikhail Prokhorov said in a statement. “With the right basketball management and coach in place, we are going to create a winning culture and identity and give Brooklyn a team that it can be proud of and enjoy watching.”
Brooklyn has lost four in a row overall and nine straight at home, where attendance has dwindled at the $1 billion Barclays Center.
The Nets made the playoffs every year since relocating for the 2012-13 season, but they are 10-27, better only than the league-worst Philadelphia 76ers.
King had been GM since 2010, orchestrating a number of high-profile moves that led to just one playoff series victory. Hollins was in his second season as coach.
King worked hard to fulfill Prokhorov’s goal of winning a championship within five years of buying the team in 2010, making blockbuster trades that brought in Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett.
Only Johnson remains, as the Nets decided to cut costs after at one point having the largest payroll in league history.