NBA fans upset Nets passed over Jacque Vaughn for Steve Nash despite 'strong impression'

Jordan Heck

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NBA fans upset Nets passed over Jacque Vaughn for Steve Nash despite 'strong impression' image

The Nets made a surprising move Thursday morning by hiring Steve Nash as their head coach, and while some fans were excited by the announcement, others couldn't help but feel sorry for Jacque Vaughn.

Vaughn took over as the Nets' coach right before the league shut down because of COVID-19 concerns. He coached, and won, two games before the postponed season. He then led the Nets to a 5-3 record in the bubble despite not having DeAndre Jordan (opt-out), Spencer Dinwiddie (opt-out), Taurean Prince (opt-out), Wilson Chandler (opt-out), Kevin Durant (injury) or Kyrie Irving (injury). He went 0-4 in postseason play in a first-round series against the Raptors, but his bubble performance did enough to impress the front office.

He was considered for the head coaching job, but will instead remain lead assistant coach. He will be the highest-paid lead assistant coach in the league, according to ESPN.

NBA PLAYOFFS: Bracket | Schedule | Explaining the bubble

"We are thrilled to retain Jacque as a leading member of our coaching staff," GM Sean Marks said in a statement. "Jacque has been an integral part of our program and a key contributor to the growth and development of our entire organization. His role in developing our players both on and off the court and his influence driving our culture have been invaluable. Our players will benefit from the continuity of Jacque’s presence, and we are extremely fortunate to keep him in our Nets family."

ESPN's report adds that Vaughn "made a strong impression" on the front office and "would've been the Nets' choice had Nash been unconvinced of taking the job."

Meanwhile, Nash has no head coaching experience. He was a part-time player development consultant for the Warriors.

MORE: Why did the Nets hire Steve Nash? Kevin Durant could be a big reason

Nash's lack of experience combined with Vaughn's success led some NBA fans to question the move.

Earlier this month, The Athletic also reported that Vaughn "impressed ownership" with the job he did in the bubble. The report noted that "opposing coaches around the NBA" have also "expressed being impressed" with Vaughn.

Jordan Heck

Jordan Heck Photo

Jordan Heck is a Social Media Producer at Sporting News. Before working here, he was a Digital Content Producer at The Indianapolis Star. He graduated with a degree from Indiana University.