Nets fire Steve Nash

[Halldan1]

Nets fire Steve Nash amid Kyrie Irving controversy

It comes as the team is off to a 2-5 start and star point guard Kyrie Irving has entrenched the team in an anti-semitic controversy following his promotion of a movie filled with racist tropes.

nypost.com

By Ethan Sears

Following a 2-5 start in which things have gone completely sideways on and off the court, the Nets fired Steve Nash on Tuesday morning, the team announced.

Assistant coach Jacque Vaughn will serve as interim coach on Tuesday night against the Bulls.

Nash had a 94-67 record in his first career head coaching job, but will mostly be remembered for the series of controversies involving his stars that he was unable to quell.

“We want to thank Steve for everything he brought to our franchise over the past two-plus seasons,” general manager Sean Marks said in a statement. “Since becoming head coach, Steve was faced with a number of unprecedented challenges, and we are sincerely grateful for his leadership, patience and humility throughout his tenure.

“Personally, this was an immensely difficult decision; however, after much deliberation and evaluation of how the season has begun, we agreed that a change is necessary at this time.”

From Kevin Durant asking for his firing, to Kyrie Irving refusing to get vaccinated to most recently, Irving’s retweet of an anti-Semitic film and subsequent lack of discipline, Nash seemed overwhelmed and unable to handle his star players.

Nash, the team’s coach since 2020, was the subject of a request for termination from Durant over the summer. The star forward also requested general manager Sean Marks be let go. But the situation was said to have been smoothed over, as Durant withdrew his trade request when it became clear that no other team could match what the Nets were asking for him.

Nash released a statement on Twitter thanking owner Joe Tsai and Marks.“

It was a pleasure to work with the players, performance team and front office everyday,” Nash said. “I’m especially grateful to my coaching staff and video room who are a talented group with so much character and professionalism.

“Lastly, thanks to Brooklyn and the passionate fans who support this team. Family first and my family has found a home here and LOVES being a part of this beautiful community. I wish the Nets all the success in the world and the Nash’s will be rooting for our team as they turn this season around.”

 

[BostonBlackie]

Hiring Ime Udoka.

 

[Halldan1]

Nets finalizing deal to hire Celtics’ Ime Udoka as head coach after Steve Nash firing

Ime Udoka could be in the mix for the Nets’ head coaching job.

nypost.com

Nets hiring Celtics’ Ime Udoka as head coach after Steve Nash firing​

By Ryan Glasspiegel

All signs point to Ime Udoka as the next coach of the Brooklyn Nets.

The Nets fired Steve Nash on Tuesday amid a disappointing 2-5 start that has been marred by off-court drama, including Kyrie Irving’s social media promotion of an anti-Semitic film. The team’s interim head coach is Jacque Vaughn.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and The Athletic’s Shams Charania both reported that the Nets plan to hire Udoka to replace Nash.

Udoka was suspended by the Celtics for at least a year after an investigation revealed that he had an affair with a female subordinate. Charania reported in The Athletic that Udoka also made “unwanted comments” to the woman, and Wojnarowski reported that the coach used “crude language.”

Tuesday, Wojnarowski added that the Celtics would permit Udoka to leave for a different job.

Udoka was an assistant on the Nets two years ago; last year, in his first season as Celtics head coach, Boston reached the NBA Finals.

In October, speaking on ESPN’s “First Take,” Stephen A. Smith theorized that one of the reasons the Celtics suspended Udoka rather than firing him was that they were worried he would become the head coach of the rival Nets.

“I believe part of the reason he was suspended, not fired, is because the Boston Celtics did not want him to end up in Brooklyn,” Smith said. “I believe that Ime Udoka, had he gotten fired, with all the stuff that happened — remember, the operative words were ‘consensual relationship, violation of organization policy!’ So because it’s that, it’s about your behavior, which we don’t endorse, as opposed to a crime.

“And because there was nothing that was put out there that said it was a crime, I believe that if Ime Udoka had been fired by the Boston Celtics, the Brooklyn Nets would’ve fired Steve Nash and brought that brother back and he would be the coach for the Brooklyn Nets right now. That’s how emphatic I am about this.”

While Smith said that this was speculation and not sourced reporting, it now looks like there may have been fire where there was smoke.

 

[Section112]

Nash is probably relieved frankly. Did he not discipline his players because he wasn't allowed to?

The Kyrie Irving cancer continues. I don't understand how the NBA has not suspended him? They are all in for racial equality right and he tweets the stuff he does and no consequences?

 

[SHUSource]

Congratulations, Steve Nash! You might as well have won that Powerball drawing tomorrow night!

 

[SHU_Pirate1]

They should FIRE 🔥 Kyrie! The guy is a disgrace.

 

[Halldan1]

Hard to believe this is the same player I saw as a young teenager.

NJ4life called me a long time ago and told me to watch this unknown because he was going to be a superstar.

On the court he was so right. But off the court, who knew?

 

[HALL85]

NBA Coaching is essentially elite baby-sitting.

 

[hallgrad80]

As if all the crap you had with Hardin, Durant and Kyrie wasn’t enough you now want as your next head coach someone who is serving a one year suspension for having an improper relationship with a female co-worker. Ownership must like the soap opera drama that the Nets have become to even considering hiring Udoka..

 

[MBF72]

They should FIRE 🔥 Kyrie! The guy is a disgrace.

And they should have let Durant walk [anywhere] over the summer.

And do Udoka's indiscretions get washed away if he comes to Brooklyn?
Will Adam Silver sit back and let that happen?

 

[mountain25]

Kyrie is a powder keg. I wouldn't wish his nonsense on any team. The league would be better without him.
I wouldn't be surprised if he was a big influence on his buddy Bryce Aiken not finishing the season last year for us.

 

[hallgrad80]

Is Kyrie trying ? He was terrible last night against the Bulls scoring 4 points on 2 - 12 shooting and 0 - 6 from the three in 33 minutes and looked disinterested. The Nets need to rebuild not only their roster which includes jettisoning both Durant and Kylie but bring in a new front office and replace Sean Marks .

 

[NYShoreGuy]

Nash is probably relieved frankly. Did he not discipline his players because he wasn't allowed to?

The Kyrie Irving cancer continues. I don't understand how the NBA has not suspended him? They are all in for racial equality right and he tweets the stuff he does and no consequences?

Should have watched tnt coverage last night

 

[NYShoreGuy]

 

[NYShoreGuy]

 

[NYShoreGuy]

 

[NYShoreGuy]

 

[ponyfoot19]

Just name Durant and Irving as player coaches.

 

[Halldan1]

Just name Durant and Irving as player coaches.

Didn't one or both say last year they didn't need a coach?

You are right on the button.

 

[SHUMatt]

Kyrie was a nice kid growing up in WO. Very polite from a nice family. His neighbors said that he would be in his back yard until 10-11 pm working on his game. Something changed with him when he went to college. He turned into a weird, ungrateful, entitled, A-hole. As Mountain said, he is a cancer for any team he is on now.

 

[hallgrad80]

And they should have let Durant walk [anywhere] over the summer.

And do Udoka's indiscretions get washed away if he comes to Brooklyn?
Will Adam Silver sit back and let that happen?

The League did not suspend him the Celtics did and I would think they have the right to lift the suspension. Whether the NBA would impose its own sanction on Udoka is unclear but if it did remember coaches have no union to fight for them and no CBA guidelines to follow .

 

[Halldan1]

Charles Barkley rips Kyrie Irving, Nets and NBA over ongoing drama

Barkley ripped the team and the NBA hours after coach Steve Nash was fired as the Nets attempt to deal with star Kyrie Irving.

nypost.com

Charles Barkley rips Kyrie Irving, Nets and NBA over ongoing drama​

By Colin Loughran

Tell us what you really think, Charles!

Charles Barkley, the TNT analyst and Basketball Hall of Famer, ripped the Nets and the NBA on “Inside the NBA,” hours after coach Steve Nash was fired as Brooklyn also attempts to deal with star Kyrie Irving, who drew controversy for sharing a link anti-Semitic film on social media.

“This is all on Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons. Steve Nash is a scapegoat,” Barkley said. “This thing was never going to work when [Kyrie Irving] said we don’t need a coach.”

Barkley added that the team was good during its 2021 playoff run that ultimately resulted in a second-round loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. He asserted that the criticism with Nash only started after that particular run.





“Nobody was talking about how bad of a coach Steve Nash was three or four years ago,” he said. “All of the sudden these guys start acting like fools and jackasses and now Steve Nash can’t coach.”

The Nets have begun the year with an underwhelming 2-5 record, and have not yet established a team identity outside of complete chaos.

Barkley went on to assert that the NBA and commissioner Adam Silver have been far too slow to deal with Irving’s latest incident.

“I think he should have been suspended him,” Barkley said. “I think Adam should have suspended him. First of all, Adam is Jewish — you can’t take my $40 million and insult my religion. You gonna insult me, you have the right, but I have the right to say, ‘You can’t take my $40 million and insult my religion.’ I think the NBA, they made a mistake. We’ve suspended people and fined people who have made homophobic slurs. And that was the right thing to do. If you insult the Black community, you should be suspended or fined heavily.”

Barkley pointed to Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards being fined $40,000 for anti-gay remarks made on social media. In Irving’s case, the punitive measures needed to be taken sooner, Barkley said.

“Him acknowledging the Alex Jones thing, something should have happened with that too, ’cause that dude’s crazy,” he said. “I can’t believe we ain’t talking about basketball — we talking about this idiot.”

“When you’re somebody as great at basketball as him, people are going to listen to what you say. I blame the NBA, he should have been suspended.”

 

[Section112]

Nailed it! Barkely says it all right there! I love his analysis and candor and he has so much credibility from being in the league for so long.

 

[NYShoreGuy]

The League did not suspend him the Celtics did and I would think they have the right to lift the suspension. Whether the NBA would impose its own sanction on Udoka is unclear but if it did remember coaches have no union to fight for them and no CBA guidelines to follow .

People commit infidelity all the time. Morally wrong. It is an organization protocol punishment

 

[SHU_Pirate1]

Kyrie was a nice kid growing up in WO. Very polite from a nice family. His neighbors said that he would be in his back yard until 10-11 pm working on his game. Something changed with him when he went to college. He turned into a weird, ungrateful, entitled, A-hole. As Mountain said, he is a cancer for any team he is on now.

So let's say it was a Duke factor...lolzzz. I'm always good with hating on Duke so there we go. Maybe he learned the world was flat there?

 

[Stevie_H]

Hard to believe this is the same player I saw as a young teenager.

NJ4life called me a long time ago and told me to watch this unknown because he was going to be a superstar.

On the court he was so right. But off the court, who knew?

Every PR staff (and many others in an organization) for every NBA team he’s played for. They knew and they’d tell you if you knew them well enough. He’s not a well respected and liked individual for many in the NBA universe. And he earned it.

 

[Halldan1]

I never saw that as a youngster. He was always respectful and never gave the vibe that he gives now.

Did he change or was he quietly always like that? Who knows?

 

[Stevie_H]

I never saw that as a youngster. He was always respectful and never gave the vibe that he gives now.

Did he change or was he quietly always like that? Who knows?

That I can’t tell you. The league has turned more than a few into nutjobs though.

 

[hbkmyr]

Sounds like Irving may have played his last game as a Net

 

[Gohall129]

KD asked to be traded to the Celtics this summer. Now the Nets will have the Celtics coach. Hmmm

Also, without turning this political- it’s ironic that Amazon, a Seattle based company, has taken zero heat for having something deemed anti-Semitic on the platform

 

[MBF72]

I could see him landing with the Lakers: a really bad team going no where. It is fantasy land out there anyway.

 

[JRSlim2284]

Doubt it. Kyrie got traded from Cleveland for his apprehension to continue playing with LeBron. And Lebron's HBO show was noted for interviewing Kanye West & they pulled the episode from airing.
Lakers are mediocre and need less things where a PR nightmare comes about

 

[HALL85]

KD asked to be traded to the Celtics this summer. Now the Nets will have the Celtics coach. Hmmm

Also, without turning this political- it’s ironic that Amazon, a Seattle based company, has taken zero heat for having something deemed anti-Semitic on the platform

Lots of hypocrites. Unfit for the Nets, but what about the league. You know the league that proudly had players wear social justice messages on uniforms and on the floor….”STOP RACISM”…lol

 

[TheHall87]

I could see him landing with the Lakers: a really bad team going no where. It is fantasy land out there anyway.

Doubt it. Kyrie got traded from Cleveland for his apprehension to continue playing with LeBron. And Lebron's HBO show was noted for interviewing Kanye West & they pulled the episode from airing.
Lakers are mediocre and need less things where a PR nightmare comes about

Supposedly Kyrie and LeBron have patched things up. Remember there was a lot of talk about Irving to the Lakers when Kyrie had to decide whether to pick up his option for this season.

Based on a quick look at Spotrac's trade tool, a Nets-Lakers deal won't happen. Apparently the Nets can't take back Russell Westbrook and the only other salaries that fit are Lebron's and Anthony Davis'. Otherwise, the Lakers would have to completely gut their roster. If they got a third team involved maybe something could work.

Maybe that changes after 12/15 when a number of trade restrictions on this past season's signings go away.

 

[JRSlim2284]

LeBron James Criticizes Kyrie Irving's 'Harmful' Actions: 'I Don't Respect It'

LeBron James touched on Kyrie Irving’s boosting of an antisemitic film and the decision to not broadcast an episode of 'The Shop' with Kanye West during his postgame press conference Friday.

www.rollingstone.com

'DON'T RESPECT IT'

LeBron James Criticizes Kyrie Irving’s ‘Harmful’ Actions: ‘I Don’t Respect It’​

Lakers star says of canceled Kanye West episode of The Shop, "It was hate conversation going on there. And I don’t represent that"
BY DANIEL KREPS

NOVEMBER 5, 2022

LeBron James GETTY IMAGES
LEBRON JAMES TOUCHED on the controversy surrounding Kyrie Irving’s boosting of an antisemitic film and the decision to not broadcast an episode of The Shop with Kanye West in the Lakers star’s postgame press conference Friday.
“I believe that what Kyrie did caused some harm to a lot of people,” James said of his former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate. “And he has since, over the last – I think it was today, or yesterday – he apologized. But he caused some harm and I think it’s unfortunate.”
James continued, “But I don’t stand on the position to harm people when it comes to your voice or your platform or anything. So it doesn’t matter what color your skin is, how tall you are, what position you’re in. If you are promoting or soliciting or saying harmful things to any community that harms people, then I don’t respect it. I don’t condone it.”

James’ HBO talk show The Shop previously revealed it had scrapped an episode featuring Kanye West after the rapper showed up “to reiterate more hate speech and extremely dangerous stereotype,” co-host Maverick Carter said in a statement; James was not on hand for West’s The Shop episode.

Common and John Legend Talk Words + Music​

Presented By Audible
The longtime friends and collaborators connect in-person for the first time since the pandemic, reflecting on their music, artistic vulnerability, and the importance of championing cultural diversity in America.

“I can tell you this, it’s simple. Me personally, I don’t condone any hate to any kind. To any race. To Jewish communities, to Black communities, to Asian communities. You guys know where I stand,” James said. “And that’s part of the reason why I didn’t air The Shop episode, why we kicked that out of the archives. Because it was hate conversation going on there. And I don’t represent that. There’s no place in this world for it.”

RELATED​

Kanye, Kyrie, and Me​

Kyrie Irving Loses Nike Partnership After Nets Suspension​

Kanye West Will Put Elon Musk's 'Free Speech' Promise to the Test​

Hours earlier, Nike announced it had severed ties with Irving and would not release his upcoming Kyrie 8 line; that followed the Brooklyn Nets’ decision to suspend Irving for “no less than five games” over his non-apology and contentious press conferences regarding the situation.
“I hope [Irving] understands what he did and the actions that he took are just harmful to a lot of people,” James added. “I really didn’t get into it too much. But, I understand that when you’re hurting anybody, I understand that. That is just common sense.”

 

[Hall-O-Daze]

Apparently Jacque Vaughn has been hired as the Head coach. This was probably their best move for the time being. Going in that other direction would not be a good move at this time.

 

[Seton75]

As I remember it, the Celt coach was fired cause a consensual sexual relationship with another Celt employee was discovered. We cant have people doing a Harvey Weinstein at work, but isnt that a little much, fired cause he met a woman at work and had a relationshp with her that both desired? I wonder if the woman was fired.

 

[SHUSource]

As I remember it, the Celt coach was fired cause a consensual sexual relationship with another Celt employee was discovered. We cant have people doing a Harvey Weinstein at work, but isnt that a little much, fired cause he met a woman at work and had a relationshp with her that both desired? I wonder if the woman was fired.

I think there was a power-dynamics consideration going on, too. I think she was several levels below him on the org chart, which he exploited. That was my understanding, though I didn't give it a ton of attention.

Otherwise, yeah, it ought to be fine. I met my wife at work. Actually, I met them both there!

 

[Halldan1]

Jacque Vaughn named Nets coach after Ime Udoka scrutiny​

By Mark W. Sanchez

Jacque Vaughn named Nets coach after Ime Udoka scrutiny

The Nets, who reportedly were zeroing in on suspended Celtics coach Ime Udoka, instead have removed the “interim” label on Jacque Vaughn, who is now the head coach.

nypost.com

The Nets have a head coach and one fewer potential scandal.

The Nets, who reportedly were zeroing in on suspended Celtics coach Ime Udoka, instead have removed the “interim” label on Jacque Vaughn, who is now the head coach.

The Nets have gone 2-2 in four games since Steve Nash was fired, but under Vaughn, they have held their opponents under 100 points for three games straight – the only three times they have done so this season.

“Jacque’s basketball acumen, competitiveness and intimate knowledge of our team and organization make him the clear-cut best person to lead our group moving forward,” GM Sean Marks said in a statement Wednesday, before the Nets hosted the Knicks. “He has a proven ability to get the best out of our players, hold them accountable and play a cohesive, team-first style of basketball.”

The Nets already are navigating a saga around Kyrie Irving, who has been suspended at least five games for not outright stating he holds no anti-Semitic beliefs. Bringing in Udoka – whom the Celtics suspended for a full year after a reported improper relationship with a female Celtics staffer – would have added one more headache.

 

[Seton75]

I think there was a power-dynamics consideration going on, too. I think she was several levels below him on the org chart, which he exploited. That was my understanding, though I didn't give it a ton of attention.

Otherwise, yeah, it ought to be fine. I met my wife at work. Actually, I met them both there!

Did he exploit it really, or is this just another example of al franken justice. I didny follow it either. But one word common to the articles i have read is consensual.