Report: Nets being pressured to not hire Ime Udoka as head coach
BOSTON -- When the Brooklyn Nets fired Steve Nash last week, reports instantly followed that the team was expected to pursue Ime Udoka as Nash's replacement as head coach. Within a day or two, it felt like a fait accompli that Udoka would be leaving the Celtics and rejoining the Nets organization very soon.
Yet time has passed, and the Nets may no longer be in the market for Udoka.
According to NBA reporter Marc Stein, some "strong voices" have been telling Nets owner Joe Tsai to "back off" in the pursuit of Udoka as head coach.
Stein noted that the current cloud hovering over the team after Kyrie Irving's latest controversy is a contributor in that messaging.
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.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) November 7, 2022
More to come: https://t.co/LGN9cVpMwn
Udoka, of course, is in the midst of a season-long suspension from the Celtics, for what the Celtics only described as multiple violations of team policy. The Celtics, according to reports, were willing to let Udoka sign with Brooklyn with no compensation returning to Boston. Considering Udoka's history with both Kevin Durant and Irving in Brooklyn, he appeared to be an obvious choice.
Alas, with time continuing to pass without the Nets hiring Udoka, it appears that at least for now, those "strong voices" are being heard by Tsai.