Getty Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash looks on during the first quarter of Round 1 Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs
The Brooklyn Nets relieved Steve Nash of his duties as head coach on November 1. Within hours, multiple NBA insiders reported the team planned to name a new head coach who is not without his own controversy.
The decision came after three seasons for Nash with the franchise. Nash had much success during the regular season with the Nets as he boasted a record of 94-67 during his tenure. But he struggled to carry on that success with the Nets in the postseason. He failed to take Brooklyn past the second round despite having Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving on the roster. His playoff failures were put on front street this past spring when the Nets were eliminated in the first round via a four-game sweep by the defending Eastern Conference champion Celtics.
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Nets Plan to Hire Ime Udoka as Nash Replacement
The news of Nash’s termination came down at 12:52 p.m. Eastern time, and by 2:12 p.m., ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted that the struggling Nets plan to hire former assistant and former Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka to replace Nash.
For those who may be tardy to the party, Udoka was suspended by the Celtics for the entire season after violating team conduct policies. Despite Udoka still being under contract in Boston, the Celtics organization is allowing Udoka to “leave freely,” The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported.
Wojnarowski reported that Udoka’s “hiring could be finalized as soon as the next 24-to-48 hours.”
Nets Believe Udoka Will ‘Command Respect’ in New Role
The hope is that Udoka can tighten the Nets defensively and command the respect of franchise’s key players. Udoka spent a season on Steve Nash’s staff before accepting the Celtics job and winning the Eastern Conference. With suspension, his future in Boston was essentially over.
Nash was brought in to be a sort of player’s coach, but the feeling is that he never had control over the locker room in Brooklyn. Every time it seemed like the Nets had found their edge, something seemed to hold them back. Whether it was Kyrie being unvaccinated, Durant’s trade request or just overall team chemistry, the Nets never could reach the level of being a championship contender under Nash’s tutelage.
Now enters Udoka, who has proven that he has what it takes to build a contender. In his first year as head coach of the Celtics, he had Jayson Tatum and Jalen Brown looking like one of the best duos in the NBA. He led them all the way to the NBA Finals and had a series lead over the Golden State Warriors on two separate occasions before ultimately falling to the defending NBA Champions in six games. If he can do that with Brown and Tatum, the sky may be the limit with Durant, Irving and Ben Simmons.
“The hope is that Udoka can tighten the Nets defensively and command the respect of franchise’s key players,” Wojnarowski tweeted. “Udoka spent a season on Steve Nash’s staff before accepting the Celtics job and winning the Eastern Conference. With the suspension, his future in Boston was essentially over.”
With the Nets sitting at 2-5 amid a season in which they hoped to become title contenders, hiring Udoka may be the change that could help them right the ship and turn their season around.