The Brooklyn Nets are going through significant changes this offseason in their efforts to return to the playoffs next season. A key member of the front office, JR Holden, is leaving for a new job opportunity with the Detroit Pistons, according to Jake Fischer and Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo! Sports. Holden will be joining the Pistons’ new front office led by Trajan Langdon, the team’s president of basketball operations.
Holden’s career in the NBA has been on the rise since he started as a scout for the Pistons in 2014. He later held roles as Detroit’s director of international scouting and then moved on to become a scout for the Philadelphia 76ers. In 2019, Holden was hired as the director of player personnel for the Brooklyn Nets and most recently served as the general manager of the Long Island Nets, the team’s G League affiliate.
Holden’s professional basketball experience, along with his history playing with Langdon for CSKA Moscow in Europe, likely played a part in his decision to join the Pistons. He becomes the third front office member to leave the Nets this offseason, following Jeff Peterson and Ryan Gisriel’s departures to join the Charlotte Hornets.
The departure of key personnel like Holden is a significant change for the Brooklyn Nets as they navigate the offseason to build a team capable of reaching the playoffs next season. It will be interesting to see how the team regroups and fills these roles in the coming months.