Nets Rumors: Igor Kokoskov to Leave Mavs for Spot on Steve Nash's Coaching Staff
June 4, 2022
The Brooklyn Nets are expected to hire Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Igor Kokoskov to join head coach Steve Nash's staff, per NBA reporter Marc Stein.
Nash reportedly pursued Kokoskov after Nash got the Nets job in 2020, per Stein. The two were with the Phoenix Suns from 2008 to 2012 when Nash played and Kokoskov was an assistant.
Kokoskov was also the Suns' head coach in 2018-19 but was let go following a 19-63 season.
He has since coached the Serbia men's national team (2019-2021) and Fenerbahce of the Turkish Basketball Super League (2020-21). Fenerbahce went to the EuroLeague playoffs under Kokoskov's watch.
Kokoskov joined the Mavericks on head coach Jason Kidd's staff in 2021, and Dallas reached the Western Conference Finals this season for the first time since 2010-11.
Kokoskov, who in 2000 became the first non-American full-time NBA assistant coach, had stints with the Los Angeles Clippers, Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic, Utah Jazz and Sacramento Kings.
He will join a team that is coming off a rough season and first-round sweep at the hands of the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics.
Expectations were high for the Nets with a presumed Big Three of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden, but Irving missed most of the season because of New York City's COVID-19 vaccine requirement and Harden wanted—and was granted—a trade to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Brooklyn will have a new look next year with Ben Simmons, who came over in the trade after effectively staging a holdout over the first half of the season with the Sixers. Simmons missed the second half as well and was diagnosed with a herniated disk that led to offseason surgery.