Nets ride out growing pains as Jordi Fernandez sticks to the plan: 'We have to be competitive and understand this is a process'

"It's like asking a bunch of kids, who are just learning how to swim, to make sure the other one doesn't drown. That's the tightrope Jordi Fernández has walked as the Nets push through the final stretch of a season that has gone sideways in the standings, even as the organization stays committed to a development plan built for patience."

"Winning matters and competing for games is extremely important. The record is what it is, we're well aware of it and we don't like it. But the players show up and work every day. It's not uncomfortable, it's not a bad feeling. Coming here and feeling like we can compete against anybody has to be important."

"If you're up 10, you want to be up 20. If you're down 20, you want to be down 10. We have to be competitive and understand this is a process."

The Brooklyn Nets are navigating a challenging season after selecting five first-round draft picks last summer, the first team in NBA history to do so. Head coach Jordi Fernández emphasizes maintaining competitive standards and effort despite poor record results. The organization committed to a development-focused plan that accepts short-term turbulence for long-term growth. Fernández stresses that competing against any opponent and showing up to work daily matters more than immediate wins. Young players learning simultaneously creates complexity, but the coach refuses to let competitive intensity slip, viewing the season as part of a larger developmental process.

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