Jacque Vaughn took over the Nets’ head-coaching job under tough circumstances.
Promoted from assistant to interim head coach when Steve Nash was fired after a 2-5 start last season, then named the permanent coach just over a week later, Vaughn led the team to a 43-32 record and got it into the playoffs despite both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving having been traded away.
Now Vaughn is wrapping up on his first full offseason and training camp as the man in charge of the Nets.
That time has allowed the team to build a connection — which it needed after the trades upended its identity offensively and defensively.
“I think the biggest thing for me was kind of, I talked about it, reestablishing who we were as a team, as a franchise, creating standards and accountability amongst the group,” Vaughn said after Monday’s practice. “I’m pretty pleased at that, because at the end of the day I want those guys to hold each other accountable. They spend more time together than with me. And the standard is a standard, it’s not different standards or no standard. And so those are the things that I was really stressed upon from the time they came back.
“I’ll continue to harp on those things, but it has been talked about from Day 1. So pretty pleased with reestablishing that in our organization.”
Vaughn pointed to Monday’s film session, during which the players were asking questions rather than listening to their coach run the session, as an example of the growth.
“At the end of last year, those guys were still forming a relationship with me,” he said. “Do they know, should they talk up in film? What comments can they make?”
Dorian Finney-Smith, though, said he hasn’t seen much of a change in the team’s dynamic or Vaughn’s coaching style even after the trade deadline because the coach has been “the head guy since I’ve been here.”
But Finney-Smith complimented Vaughn and his revamped staff, including former UConn coach Kevin Ollie.
“He always seemed comfortable in that space. Coach do a good job of getting guys ready,” he said. “Guys he brought in, Kevin Ollie. He’s been great. He has a great energy. Great coach. [UConn] beat me [and Florida] in college. So, there’s a little beef there. They put us out the Final Four. So, I had to let him know before he told me anything to do, know that he gotta respect me. Gotta respect the Gators.”
Finney-Smith spent six full seasons with the Mavericks before the Nets acquired him in the Irving trade.
Royce O’Neale, who was acquired from the Jazz for a first-round pick in June 2022, credited time spent together as a galvanizing factor.
“I mean, last year at the deadline just, you know, putting a whole new team together and then us being able to be together all summer, training camp, preseason,” he said. “I think it’s great for everybody to get a feel for how everybody plays, the way we want to play.”
The Nets open the season at home Wednesday against the Cavaliers.
“I think we’re in a pretty good place of expectations for our first game, the lead-up to it,” Vaughn said. “There’s excitement with our guys to be able to play for real, so get one more day [Tuesday] to clean up some things and make sure we’re all aligned, but good time of the year.”