Nets’ Jordi Fernandez breaks silence on contract extension as Brooklyn enters pivotal offseason

Jordi Fernandez navigated the Brooklyn Nets through two arduous tanking seasons. Owner Joe Tsai and General Manager Sean Marks rewarded Fernandez and his entire staff with multi-year contract extensions earlier this week as the team moves forward in its rebuild.

The Nets have voiced their belief in Fernandez since hiring him two years ago. However, actions speak louder than words. After signing his extension, Fernandez is feeling the love from the organization.

“[It shows] trust, support and belief,” the coach said of his multi-year deal. “My experience here, I couldn’t ask for anything better from ownership and management and the group that we work with. Getting rewarded with the extension means the world to me and to my family, but also to the coaches. Now it’s our time to keep working hard, and take those next steps… We’re all very happy, and we all believe what our steps of improvement have been. But, obviously, it’s very different when somebody says we support you and they do it with an action like this.

That almost gets us more excited to work this summer. We’ve all been off for a few days, but we’re all excited to be back in the gym, to go through the process, to go through the lottery, to go through the draft, and free agency. There’s going to be things that you can control, and things that you cannot control, but our work and our energy, that’s something we can control. I believe this coaching staff is elite, and everybody has said it, how excited they are to come back to work.”

Jordi Fernandez on signing a multi-year contract extension with the Nets:

“[It shows] trust, support and belief. My experience here, I couldn't ask for anything better from ownership and management and the group that we work with. Getting rewarded with the extension means the… pic.twitter.com/CeYyXeu8LB

— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) April 23, 2026

After two tanking seasons, the Nets will look to take a step back towards the playoffs next year without control of their 2027 first-round pick.

Jordi Fernandez excited for future as Nets look to take step forward in 2026-27

Brooklyn featured an NBA-record five rookie first-round picks this season. After securing top odds in May’s draft lottery, the rebuilding squad hopes to land a franchise-altering player in the 2026 draft.

With an NBA-leading nine tradable first-round picks and upwards of $45 million in cap space, the Nets have no shortage of avenues to improve. Unlike the last two seasons, they’ll have no incentive to lose in 2026-27.

After posting a 46-118 record the last two years, there’s a different feeling within Brooklyn’s facility entering this offseason.

“It’s excitement, and it’s not time to relax,” Fernandez said. “It’s actually time to get more excited and work harder and to give back to Joe and Sean for the trust that they put into our coaching staff. The way we see it is, we get rewarded with this, and now we’re gonna give you even more. That’s how you always want to feel. It’s how hard you can work and how you can control what you can control. And I think that the whole coaching staff is ready. We’ve always worked together with the front office, ownership, and the rest of the staff. And I think that excitement is there and we’re just ready to start.”

Continuity has been a strength for Brooklyn’s coaching staff the last two years. Following Fernandez’s first season as head coach, the Nets brought back their entire staff in 2024-25. Steve Hetzel is Fernandez’s lead assistant on a staff that features numerous other experienced coaches, including Juwan Howard, Jay Hernandez, Ryan Forehan-Kelly, Travis Bader, Deividas Dulkys, Dutch Gaitley, Connor Griffin, and Corey Vinson.

With the NBA’s youngest roster this season and another top draft pick on the way, player development will be critical for the Nets in the coming years. Fernandez emphasized that development within his staff is equally important.

“Continuity is important, but so is growth,” he said. “The same way that we want to invest in our players, we want to invest in our coaches. We believe in how much those guys can develop and take the next steps. That’s part of life. When you feel valued and you feel recognized, that’s how much more you can bring. And you’re gonna keep challenging yourself to bring it. That’s what this league is about, if you think about it. It’s about being competitive. You may get this extension now, but now you’re gonna be competitive because you want to prove yourself and do better and bring it. So it’s very exciting.”

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