1. Kevin Ollie
Without question, the lone member of the Nets who most desperately needs to have a monster second half of the season to save their job is the recently promoted, Kevin Ollie.
After the dismissal of Jacque Vaughn earlier this week, GM Sean Marks assigned their newly added assistant coach as Brooklyn's interim headman.
While this specific title suggests that his claim to the role is only in a limited capacity, with the literal definition of "interim" being "in the meantime," with a strong performance while running the show, there could be a scenario where the 51-year-old etches himself into the position on a full-time basis.
This sentiment was only strengthened by The Athletic's Shams Charania's recent comments on Fan Duel's 'Run it Back,' where he reported that "Ollie could be part of their process" as they search for a possible long-term solution to their head coaching vacancy.
Kevin Ollie said he has a list of 17 "EGBs" (energy-generating behaviors) that were gone over “extensively” today:
— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) February 21, 2024
“I want hunters. If you hunt, you're gonna play. If you don’t hunt, you're not gonna play.” pic.twitter.com/tqgtBzPDjD
Oft praised for his leadership throughout both his playing (had a 13-year NBA career) and coaching careers, Ollie has come across ample success throughout his career on the sidelines, with easily his most notable accomplishment being his 2014 NCAA Championship run while serving as the head coach for the UConn Huskies.
Already receiving a warm welcome from his players, it seems that everyone in the locker room is hoping for him to thrive in his new role with the Nets.
Should he guide the team to the Play-In Tournament during this final stretch of the season, perhaps it may be enough to even keep him around moving forward.