While the NBA playoffs are underway, several teams out of the playoffs have commenced coaching searches in hopes of finding the coach who can get them into the playoffs. The Brooklyn Nets believe they have found their man, hiring Atlanta Hawks assistant coach Kenny Atkinson.
Before Atkinson served as an assistant for the Hawks from 2012-'15, he worked as an assistant with the New York Knicks. In both stops, he has gained quite a favorable reputation. In a recent ESPN story, he was described as an excellent communicator who gets along with players incredibly well and focsues on an "individual development".
His ability to connect with players and work with them to develop makes him an ideal fit for a team trying to retool their roster and start a new foundation, with is just the direction Brooklyn wants to go towards. Atkinson was also described in Wojanorwski's story as the most ready assistant coach to make the transition to being a head coach.
Atkinson will receive a multi-year deal per Wojnarowski's report and the official announcement should be made later on Sunday. This is a smart move by the Nets to begin their offseason.