 It was shocking also given the time and coming off that blowout win a couple nights ago. Yeah, Bob I think there are a couple of things you have to think about right? It was definitely a surprise I think for just about everybody Who is on the outside and I'm not privy to the inside internal conversations both Kenny and and Sean I've had so it's unfair for me to comment on what those discussions were all about but with you know 20 games left you don't see that happen all that much But one thing I will tell you is that obviously they've parted ways I think you'll continue to see Sean Marks do a great job in terms of building the culture of this Organization in terms of going forward depending on how they tweet that how they change that that remains to be seen I think on the other side though with Kenny Atkinson. I think everybody respected him as a coach I think he's done a great job with the organization in terms of developing players getting them to the playoffs Just getting everybody to like him and buy in and I know that Kenny Atkinson will do very very well wherever his path takes Him next all right for more on the next parting with Atkinson Let's head right out to Brooklyn now the court side report with Michael Grady and Michael What is the vibe out there a lot has changed in the last 24 hours? Well a lot of folks are still processing Bob this came as a shock to a lot of people I think a lot of folks woke up on Saturday morning and the last thing that they were expecting including myself Was to find out that the Nets and Kenny Atkinson had mutually agreed to part ways Listed 24 hours after a dominant performance Against the San Antonio Spurs look there are a lot of question marks and a lot of speculation Once the big names were added to the roster and what's gonna be the long-term plans the timing of it really threw a lot of people off Especially in a season with so many injuries not having Kevin Durant out there on the court So at the press conference yesterday with Sean Marks one of my first questions was the timing Why was now the right time to make this move? I? Think there was a couple of reasons I think it was probably fair for both sides I think it's fair for Kenny, you know if this is where we were all thinking It's you know let him have an opportunity to seek Somewhere else, you know future employment and so forth, but also it gives the Nets an opportunity to To look at you know Jacques Vaughan will obviously Take over as head coach and and let's look at this group and see how and evaluate this group as well Now one of the things Sean Marks said was that again a new voice was needed in the locker room And he felt and he said Kenny Atkinson also acknowledged at Kenny's voice Was it holding as much weight in the locker room that it used to and one of the questions I was asking the guys including Jacques Vaughan yesterday in the last few years under Kenny Atkinson There have been highs and there have been lows and one of the things that I asked was How of the lows this season felt differently than what they did in previous seasons? I got different answers from the guys Coach Jacques Vaughan said that he felt resiliency was something that they were able to rely on in past years But they really couldn't say that as much this season the team didn't respond well after losses the Memphis loss Not withstanding phone that up with a strong performance against San Antonio You really look at the past week or so it was a game We recall the game against Orlando a big match up an opportunity to create some distance between the Nets and the Magic In the Eastern Conference standings the Nets lose that game the next game is against Washington a Washington team Trying to get into the playoff picture in DC the Nets lose that game They follow that up with a matchup in Atlanta the Nets should be Atlanta worst record in the Eastern Conference They give up 141 points to the Hawks very next game They lose to Miami the Boston game the Nets the Celtics are playing without Jason Tatum And they were beating the breaks off of the Nets for a good portion of that game And it took a 51-point performance from Karris Laverde to stun the Celtics in Boston great win You want to carry that momentum into the next matchup with the Grizzlies and you give up a hundred and forty points to the Grizzlies That goes to the point of Coach Jacques Vaughan saying resiliency is something that they didn't really hang their head on this season The team really wasn't responding well after tough losses may have contributed to the decision And and why they said that the voice wasn't holding as much weight in that locker room But it was certainly something disappointing for this team this season the way they responded to tough games Bob Yeah, and Grady for everybody and certainly I imagine in talking to the players that reminded that Ultimately when things like this happen, it's a business and sometimes when it's somebody you like as much as Kenny Atkinson It kind of hits you in the face doesn't it? Yeah, you know it's a harsh reality you're 100% right Bob guys will say look I understand it's a business They can say that a thousand times But the truth is especially for the guys that have been here for a long time and I've seen their careers Blossom in the last few years under coach Kenny Atkinson and this coach and staff. Yes, it's a business But there's a human element to where like you said it really hits you in the face You think about the way Spencer Dinwiddie has blossomed in these last few years under this coach and staff this developmental team Joe Harris what's happened with him? Jared Allen what's happened with him a number of guys Karis Lavert Included have literally seen their games go to an entirely different level under coach Kenny Atkinson It hit them hard and that's something I asked them about to get their reaction to the news that Kenny Atkinson the next have mutually agreed to part ways Obviously, it's tough. This is the first time I've ever been through something like this before And anybody that knows me knows me and Kenny were extremely close, you know, he He's huge for my development On and off the court really, you know from day one we were we were together So obviously it hurts, you know, but it's part of the business It's part of the business sucks, but it is what it is I think Kenny's admire for his work ethic and commitment to player development and you know, I don't think that's changed at all She's done a great job in getting us to this point and you know, we have our work cut out for us going forward You're definitely shocked surprise I Think you know for the guys that have been here for the last few years with him You know, you're upset you learned a lot. There's but there's also, you know It's one of those things where you're just, you know, grateful for the time the opportunity that you had with him You know, we all loved playing for Kenny grew a lot as players and as people and You know valuable experience, but it's one of those things where the NBA at the end of the day You know, it is a business and you know stuff like this happens with teammates coaches, you know And it's tough and it's tough to see but it is the nature of the NBA itself I asked coach Jocvan a little bit earlier how his experience as a former player influenced how he communicated with his players With this transition again a short turnaround the news yesterday and then playing a three o'clock game today against the Chicago Bulls And he said he really looked at the emotional side of this He understands the guys who've been with Kenny Atkinson a little bit longer Or maybe handling it a little bit differently than guys who were in their first year with the Brooklyn extra haven't spent as much Time with coach Kenny Atkinson So he really wanted to encourage the guys to handle this situation to process everything in their own way He had individual meetings with each player yesterday at conversation with them building that trust having an open environment for honesty Transparency really important for him asking guys what they like what haven't they liked over the course of this season really trying to get their input and Make sure that there is open communication Between the two sides there's not a lot that he can implement in a short amount of time One of the things that he will do is alter the starting lineup Bob Deandre Jordan is going to be inserted into the starting lineup Wilson Chandler will once again start ahead of Torian Prince But Jared Allen goes to the bench Deandre Jordan is going to start for the fifth time this season He will also Jocvan add some tweaks on the defensive side of the ball Not as much time to tweak things on the offensive side outside of some drawn-up plays out of time out So short turnaround everybody's processing coach Vaughn said the one commonality is that we get to play a game today This is the guy's passion. This is what they love and he expects them to play hard and to compete today against the Chicago Bulls All right, we'll look forward to that Michael look forward to seeing you again