Sources: Nets to extend Atkinson, coaching staff

Brooklyn Nets coach Kenny Atkinson and his assistant coaches are nearing completion on contract extensions, league sources tell ESPN.

Atkinson and his staff are expected to have signed agreements with the Nets in the near future, league sources said.

Atkinson has inspired praise throughout the league for the tenacity and improvement that his Nets teams have shown in his nearly three seasons on the job.

This season, Atkinson has led the Nets into contention for a return to the playoffs for the first time since 2015. General manager Sean Marks and Atkinson have worked together to remake the franchise through deft personnel decisions, strong player development and a reshaped organizational environment.

The Nets are 39-39 and fighting for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Atkinson had improved from 20 to 28 victories in his first two seasons.

Atkinson was an eight-year assistant in the NBA — four seasons each with the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks — before Marks hired him with the Nets in 2016.