1995–96 New Jersey Nets season

Derrick Coleman's final season with the Nets
Kenny Anderson's final season with the Nets

Head coach

Arena

Results

Record

30–52 (.366)

Place

Division: 6th (Atlantic)
Conference: 12th (Eastern)

Playoff finish

Did not qualify

Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com

The 1995–96 NBA season was the Nets' 29th season in the National Basketball Association, and 20th season in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Nets received the ninth pick in the 1995 NBA draft, and selected NCAA Final Four MVP Ed O'Bannon out of UCLA. However, O'Bannon failed to live up to expections due to injuries, and a limited amount of playng time. The Nets began their season losing their season opener to the expansion Toronto Raptors at 94–79 on November 3. Derrick Coleman missed the first month of the season due to an irregular heartbeat. After the month was over, he was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers for Shawn Bradley, and Kenny Anderson was dealt to the Charlotte Hornets for Kendall Gill in January. Without Coleman and Anderson, the Nets started to play better down the stretch, but would lose 12 of their final 14 games to finish sixth in the Atlantic Division with a 30–52 record.

Following the season, head coach Butch Beard was fired, Armen Gilliam signed as a free agent with the Milwaukee Bucks, P.J. Brown signed with the Miami Heat, second-year guard Chris Childs signed with the New York Knicks, and Rick Mahorn re-signed with the Detroit Pistons.