After a summer of ups and downs, the Brooklyn Nets were at a major crossroads just three weeks into the season. With Steve Nash gone, the franchise had its eyes on disgraced Celtics coach Ime Udoka, who was seen as the perfect fit for a disgruntled Nets squad.
In the end, however, the Nets pulled a last-minute switch and promoted Jacque Vaughn to the role instead, much to the shock and surprise of many around the league.
As some continue to flame the Nets for spurning an opportunity to pick up one of the best coaching minds in the business, NBA insider David Aldridge says it was ultimately the right decision to make in the end.
(via SiriusXM NBA Radio)
“There was so much controversy swirling around how the team handled the situation with Kyrie in the first place. I think the league also dropped the ball on this, too, and how they handled it initially. To then have to have a press conference to explain why you’re bringing Ime Udoka when we still don’t know what happened in Boston with him. My thing was, how could the Nets know? You can’t vet the situation because the information being produced is proprietary to the Celtics. These are confidential situations going on. I just have no sense of why they thought this was going to work… it would’ve been a very difficult situation for the Nets to explain to their fanbase and to their employees, to their female employees. You need to know you can have that conversation with people.”
Why did the Brooklyn Nets pass on Ime Udoka?
@davidaldridgedc tells @BGeltzNBA and @SamMitchellNBA it was the best thing for the organization. pic.twitter.com/0n6ZXMORs0
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) November 12, 2022
The Nets Flipped On Udoka After Massive Public Outcry
After so much turmoil and drama over the offseason, and throughout Durant’s tenure, the Nets need stability now more than ever, and there were some doubts that Udoka could maintain that stability considering his fallout in Boston.
In the end, however, it was the pressure from the public that ultimately pushed the Nets away from Ime.
The Nets changed course from their initial plan to hire Udoka due to several factors, multiple sources with direct knowledge of the decision-making told The Athletic. These factors include an investigation and due diligence process by the Nets into the suspended coach taking longer than initially expected, the outcry after word of their plan became known to people outside and inside the organization and the short and long-term question marks around the team’s ability to contend in the Eastern Conference as a result of the indefinite suspension of Irving.
The Nets began direct communication on the potential to hire Udoka 24 to 48 hours before the franchise fired Nash last Tuesday, including receiving permission from the Celtics and engaging in initial discussions, multiple sources with knowledge of the talks told The Athletic.
The Nets appear to be finally turning things around this season, and their play should only increase when Kyrie Irving is allowed back on the floor.
But, with or without Irving, the Nets cannot afford any distractions right now, and bringing Udoka on with so many unanswered questions about his last gig would not have been the best move.
