Kyrie Irving Reportedly 'Prefers' Nets Hire Tyronn Lue to Replace Kenny Atkinson as Head Coach

The Brooklyn Nets made the surprising decision to part ways with Kenny Atkinson, and there have since been conflicting rumors suggesting Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant were at least partially responsible for his departure.

Well, whether or not there's truth to those rumors, the Nets are looking for the next man to take the helm. And according to Yahoo Sports' Vince Goodwill, Irving is interested in reuniting with former Cavs head man Tyronn Lue.

Lue coached Irving in Cleveland for two seasons, winning a title in 2016. With the Nets poised to make a big leap in 2020, Goodwill reports that Irving "prefers" Brooklyn go after Lue to fill their vacancy.

The Nets made Irving and Durant the faces of the franchise by signing them to huge deals in last year's free agency. While both of them are currently on the mend, it's not unlikely they'd have significant pull when it comes to selecting the franchise's next head coach.

Irving featured in just 20 games in his debut season in Brooklyn, averaging 27.4 points, 6.4 assists and 5.2 rebounds while shooting 39.4% from deep. He was ruled out for the rest of the season in February after opting to undergo shoulder surgery.

The Nets are currently in seventh in the Eastern Conference at 29-34 and have named Jacque Vaughn as interim head coach in Atkinson's stead.