Just 7 games into the new season, the Brooklyn Nets said goodbye to Steve Nash. After a 2-5 start, the former Nets coach (and former NBA superstar point guard) was canned by GM Sean Marks to mark the end of a nightmarish tenure.
And while many around the league have praised the Nets for the move (and the possibility of hiring Ime Udoka), NBA broadcaster Jeff Van Gundy defended Nash and questioned why such a stand-up guy was shunned by his players so aggressively.
Here he is in an appearance on SiriusXM Radio this week:
“I don’t want to speak for Cliff, but he really thought highly of just how good of a leader Steve Nash was through a very tumultuous year. And not because of anything he did wrong, but just circumstances that plagued the Nets because of some roster decisions and some personal decisions. You’re not finding anybody who doesn’t have the highest regard for Steve Nash in the league. And, I gotta say, I just don’t know who wouldn’t wanna play for him. His personality, his success, his outlook on life, his compassion, and his empathy for people. To me, he’s a model for what we say we want in leadership, and it’s a shame the Nets decided to move on.”
Jeff Van Gundy is not a fan of the Nets parting ways with Steve Nash@TheFrankIsola | @Scalabrine pic.twitter.com/DGLZMfRGlE
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) November 2, 2022
Whether it was on the court or in the streets, Nash was always a figure that commanded respect from his peers and colleagues. For whatever reason, he wasn’t given the time of day as coach of the Nets, with Kyrie Irving pretty much dismissing him from the jump. But now that he’s gone, what will the team do now?
What’s Next For The Brooklyn Nets After Firing Steve Nash?
Nash was just the first step in what will likely be a busy few weeks for the Nets. Despite their slow start, it’s not too late to turn things around and salvage the season. But can they succeed with their current core of stars?
Not everyone is convinced they can. In fact, some believe the Nets should just trade everybody and start over completely.
“How many more chances is this organization going to give Kyrie Irving? That’s my big question here Enough is enough. I’m not talking from a trade standpoint. I understand that Ime Udoka is the last person that could maybe reign this group in but if you’re the Brooklyn front office. Send him home. You do not need Kyrie Irving. And I think when you go from Kyrie, I think you are going Armageddon and I think it starts with Kevin Durant here. … Wipe the slate clean. Start from scratch.”
No matter what you think the Nets should do, they have a lot of issues to work out before they can even begin to consider themselves a contender.
And while Nash had plenty of flaws as a coach, he isn’t the one to blame for the mess his former players created. Hopefully, somewhere down the line, Nash will get another opportunity to lead his own team.
