DENVER — Jordi Fernandez has known Nuggets coach Michael Malone since their days in Cleveland, and he spent six seasons as an assistant under him in Denver.
He credits those years — helping mold the Nuggets into winners — for not only getting him the Nets job but laying down the blueprint he’s trying to follow.
“Six years of my life with my family were here, my kids were born here, so great memories, not just professionally but family-wise,” Fernandez said before Friday’s 124-105 loss at Ball Arena. “Every year I was here helped me prepare for this job. Michael Malone, the organization, the coaching staff, ownership, front office, every experience … it was one of the reasons I’m in the position I’m in right now.
“I was able to experience a young team, the majority of guys were drafted that we built into a playoff team, made it to a conference finals and then won a championship. So the process really helped me to understand how things work. It’s never going to be the same, and it’s not going to be perfect, but going through it here and being part of it, I think it was a great experience for me as a coach.”
Fernandez joined Cleveland in 2009 as a developmental coach while Malone was a Cavaliers assistant.
And later, the year after Malone became head coach in Denver, he brought the young Spaniard in as an assistant.
Fernandez spent 2016-22 with the Nuggets, building a contender that won the title the season he departed.
He left an impression on Malone.
“[Fernandez had] just a hunger and an appetite for learning and growing, and his ability to just relate and get along with the players,” Malone said. “You could just tell that it was just a matter of when he was going to be given that opportunity. And obviously, Brooklyn gave him that chance.
“It’s been a tough year for them, but when you look at everything they’ve gone through this year — the trades, the players and all that — the most important thing for Jordi and any young coach is to establish a culture. And then as you add pieces to that culture, then the wins will come. And that’s what I tried to do here in Year 1, 10 years ago. But before the wins are going to come, you’ve got to create an identity, you got to create a culture. And Jordi is on his way to doing that.”
That includes his no-excuses culture.
“Once you’re doing your job, there’s no friends. And the same way I want to beat them, they’re going to want to beat me. I know for sure Michael Malone feels the same way,” Fernandez said. “Yes, obviously you want to say hi before the game or after the game, and then during the game be ready to compete all the way through.”
Ben Simmons, who scored 10 points and had seven assists, and Day’Ron Sharpe (seven points, five rebounds) returned to the court Friday.
Cam Johnson (right ankle sprain) and D’Angelo Russell (right shin contusion) were out and are considered day-to-day. Fernandez has said he hopes the former will return at some point on this trip.
But Trendon Watford (left hamstring strain) most likely won’t play until the Nets return home.
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