The Brooklyn Nets are no strangers to controversy.
Between Kyrie Irving and his never-ending drama, the trade speculation that surrounded the team’s two biggest stars this summer, and the decision to fire Steve Nash last week – it has been one crisis after another for Brooklyn.
Last week, the same day Nash got the boot, word emerged that the Nets had their sights set on replacing him with suspended Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka. A deal was supposed to be imminent.
Days later – Udoka remains with the Celtics and Jacque Vaughn remains the interim coach.
So what happened?
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Nets owner Joe Tsai is facing some resistance.
“League sources say there have been some ‘strong voices’ urging Joe Tsai to back off the Nets’ intent to hire suspended Celtics coach Ime Udoka as Steve Nash’s successor given the considerable turmoil Brooklyn has already faced this season,” Stein wrote.
Udoka obviously comes with a certain amount of baggage. Fresh off a run to the NBA Finals, he was suspended by the Celtics over an inappropriate — though consensual — workplace relationship with another employee.
A number of troubling details about the relationship came out shortly thereafter.
If the Nets weren’t such a magnet for controversy in recent years, they might be able to comfortably withstand the PR hit of hiring Udoka. But they are. Hence the trepidation.
Complicating matters further is the fact that Vaughn seems to be doing a pretty good job filling in for Nash, per Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson.
“Nets are pleased with Jacque Vaughn right now [and] with all of the attention that the Nets have garnered this week I’m told that they’re taking things slow,” he reported.
“Nets chemistry in the locker room is really flowing. Guys are really happy,” a source told Robinson.
It will be interesting to see where things go from here.
It’s hard to see Vaughn being the long-term solution in Brooklyn, but everything with that franchise is up in the air at the moment.
The longer Brooklyn goes without hiring Udoka, the more doubt there will be that the hiring will actually occur.
Charissa Thompson’s outfit stole the show. https://t.co/HbXdLjm4Mf
— Game 7 (@game7__) November 7, 2022
This is shaping up to be a big week for the Nets.
Which direction will they ultimately go in with their head coaching vacancy?
Time will tell.
Related: Suspicious Novak Djokovic Video Goes Viral
Jennifer Withers Hoey is a former Business Development Manager who transitioned to writing about sports. With valuable connections all over the West Coast, she has used those contacts to break some of the most interesting stories pertaining to the Portland Trail Blazers, Oregon Ducks, LA Lakers, LA Clippers, Seattle Supersonics (RIP), and more.
