Report: Kyrie Irving Drew Frustration from 'Some' Nets Coaches Before Surgery

As the fallout from Kenny Atkinson's firing continues and many reports not so subtly point the finger at Kyrie Irving, more details on the behind-the-scenes strain are coming to light.

Ian Begley of SNY.tv reported some members of the Nets coaching staff were "frustrated" with Irving not being able to stay in the lineup consistently before having season-ending shoulder surgery. Irving was limited to 20 games, including a 25-game absence earlier this season that was shrouded in mystery.

If there was tension between Atkinson and Irving regarding his playing status, the deterioration of a relationship that seemingly never had a chance to get off the ground would make some sense. 

The Nets parted ways with Atkinson on Saturday in a move that surprised the public but was seemingly simmering for some time. General manager Sean Marks told reporters the move came as a result of Atkinson losing his voice in the locker room—something the coach acknowledged despite Brooklyn sitting in the No. 7 seed in the East during an injury-plagued season.

"Kenny and I had these pretty frank conversations. And it wasn't last night, 24 hours; there wasn't one game," Marks said. "This was a culmination of events over the course of the year. Kenny's brutally honest, and the humility he showed to admit 'My voice is not what it once was here. It's time.'

"This is a compromise that Kenny and I and ownership came up with; it was time. Kenny grinded and did everything he could, but it was time for another voice in that locker room, and it's our job to find it."

In the days since, many have surmised Atkinson struggled to reach the trio of Irving, DeAndre Jordan and Kevin Durant. While Durant has missed the entire season following his recovery from an Achilles tear, he, Irving and Jordan are close friends.

One point of obvious contention: Jordan's status as a starter. While Atkinson started Jordan just four times this season, choosing the younger Jarrett Allen, interim coach Jacque Vaughn's first lineup change as coach was swapping out the two centers. Keep in mind that Allen is, by nearly every objective measure, a superior player to Jordan. The clues here aren't exactly subtle—even if Jordan publicly bristled at himself, Irving or Durant being behind Atkinson's exit.

"Yeah, I'm close to Kyrie, but Wilson [Chandler] is a new player, Garrett Temple's a new player," Jordan told reporters Sunday. "We're all new players, so if you're going to say new players, put it on all eight of the new players.

"I think whatever you're saying, and whatever the reports are, are bulls--t."

Marks said the decision to remove Atkinson was made by himself and ownership, but it's fair to assume if Irving, Durant and Jordan thought he was the right coach, he would still be on the bench. Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports reported Irving prefers Ty Lue as the Nets' next coach.