The Brooklyn Nets have to be the wildest organization in sports.
The craziness continued on Tuesday, with the team “mutually parting ways” with head coach Steve Nash, and reportedly replacing him with suspended Celtics coach Ime Udoka.
The coaching swap comes with the Nets currently sitting at 2-5, with the second worst point differential in the Eastern Conference (-6.4). It comes after Kyrie Irving posted about an anti-semetic film he apparently enjoyed and a press conference that amounted to a non-apology. It comes after Kevin Durant reportedly told Nets ownership this offseason that they needed to fire Nash and/or general manager Sean Marks, or trade him. It comes after Irving tried to leave last offseason as well, but decided to opt in when there weren’t any takers.
Now the most dysfunctional franchise in the NBA has made the controversial decision to hire Udoka, who was recently suspended for the season for a consensual sexual relationship with a female member of his staff, who later accused Udoka of making unwanted comments towards her.
Udoka spent a season on Nash’s staff with the Nets before taking the Celtics job last year. Nash was hired in 2020 as the hand-picked coach by Durant and Irving. Together, the three won just a single playoff series.
