NBA Rumors: Atkinson Out, Lue Possibly Taking Over As Nets Head Coach

The Brooklyn Nets have agreed to part ways with Kenny Atkinson, a move that caught most by surprise. Though the Nets are undermanned, the 52-year-old mentor has quietly found ways to keep the team afloat. Unfortunately, that was not enough and the word going around is that Kyrie Irving soured on him this season.

As most know, Irving is out for the rest of the 2019-20 NBA season due to an injured shoulder. His absence was a big blow to Brooklyn's campaign, a team currently trying to hang on and make the NBA playoffs despite the odds against them. Spencer Dinwiddie and Caris LeVert have stepped up on his behalf and no one saw a sudden exit by Atkinson who has been calling the shots for the past four years.

The Nets are 28-34 in the NBA Eastern Conference, just half a game ahead of the Orlando Magic. Despite playing with an undermanned roster, Atkinson seemed to be doing fine with the players available for now. And while most do not give Brooklyn much of a chance to go deep into the postseason, some felt that the story would be different by next season. It will stay that way although there will be a new coach leading the charge.

It has yet to be verified if Irving did influence the sudden change of coaches. Nets beat writer Anthony Puccio tweeted that there are players who wanted Atkinson out. He never mentioned the name of Irving and referred to the players as "some." Looking at the roster, there has been no word of disgruntled players and those players could be the ones currently out of action.

Further, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News added a bit of meat to the development. He pointed out how Irving and/or Kevin Durant could have vouched for Atkinson if they wanted him to continue calling the shots. As of this writing, both never commented or mentioned anything on the matter.

For now, it will be Jacque Vaughn calling the shots for the Nets on an interim basis. It will be a tough road ahead for him but his immediate duty is to make sure Brooklyn makes the playoffs. The story will be different starting this summer although the name of Tyronn Lue is already surfacing. Currently serving as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Clippers, Yahoo Sports claims that Irving wanted Lue to be then next head coach. Both were together in 2016 when the Cavaliers won the NBA title.

If Lue is named the next head coach, then Irving is more likely to be the reason behind Atkinson's exit. However, Atkinson is not expected to remain jobless for long. Multiple teams are expected to sit down and have talks with him starting this summer. For now, the 52-year-old can take a break and recharge after a tumultuous season in Brooklyn.