Brooklyn Nets Announce Coaching Change; Steve Nash Out & Ime Udoka In?

The Brooklyn Nets are making moves in hopes of turning their season around.

On Tuesday morning, the Nets announced Steve Nash and the team mutually parted ways. In a press release, Nets general manager Sean Marks said since his hiring, Nash faced “a number of unprecedented challenges.”,

“We are sincerely grateful for his leadership, patience and humility throughout his tenure,” Marks said in the release. “Personally, this was an immensely difficult decision; however, after much deliberation and evaluation of how the season has begun, we agreed that a change is necessary at this time. We wish Steve, Lilla and their family all the best in the future.”

Nash was hired as a first-time head coach in 2020, replacing Kenny Atkinson. Since then, the team has underperformed, amassing a 94-67 record with two of the best players in the league, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. The team dealt with injuries, trades, and holdouts because of COVID-19 restrictions.

The team started the season 2-5, with the most recent controversy involving Kyrie Irving promoting an antisemitic film.

Nets assistant coach Jacque Vaughn will act as the team’s head coach.

Not long after the news broke, NBA Insider Shams Charania reported the Nets plan to hire former Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka. While he took the Celtics to the NBA Finals this past season, Udoka was suspended by the team in the offseason for an “unspecified violation of organizational guidelines.”

The Brooklyn Nets plan to hire Ime Udoka as their new head coach, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Boston granted the Nets permission to speak to Udoka and will allow him to leave freely, sources said. https://t.co/lFeHY8hUiS

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 1, 2022

Newsletter