The Nets have a new head coach.
General manger Sean Marks has made his first big hire, agreeing to a multiyear deal with Atlanta Hawks assistant Kenny Atkinson, according to Yahoo Sports.
The Nets’ search had included names such as San Antonio’s Ettore Messina, whom Marks used to work with, and Jeff Van Gundy, but Atkinson emerged the winner.
The 48-year-old has been the top assistant under Atlanta’s Mike Budenholzer, and he will remain with the Hawks throughout the playoffs, according to the report.
The job awaiting Atkinson is not an enviable one, as the Nets lack many draft picks and are coming off a dreadful year in which they finished 21-61 under Lionel Hollins and then interim coach Tony Brown.