The Brooklyn Nets have been mired in controversy and drama over the past couple of seasons. The latest example of that is the firing of Steve Nash who will (more than likely) be replaced by Ime Udoka, former Celtics coach who was involved in his own scandal in Boston.
Before the signings of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, the Brooklyn Nets were lauded for their culture. That culture ended up being a key reason they were able to attract the two stars in free agency. They then were able to swing a blockbuster deal for James Harden, who a year later was dealt to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Ime Udoka has emerged as a strong frontrunner to be the next Brooklyn Nets head coach and the sides have begun discussions, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Nets are in the midst of their search process and are continuing to do due diligence.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 1, 2022
One of the reasons Harden wanted out was because of the uncertainty surrounding Iriving’s vaccination status. Irving was not allowed to play in home games because he was unvaccinated.
As part of the Harden trade, the Nets acquired Ben Simmons, who was struggling with his mental health and with back issues. He ended up missing the entirety of last season, playoffs included. The Nets were then shockingly swept by the Boston Celtics who were coached by Udoka.
Ben Simmons' name came up in recent trade talks between the Nets and a Western Conference team (via @IanBegley) https://t.co/Arq22Y7Euf pic.twitter.com/OmL5zkgLWK
— SNY (@SNYtv) November 2, 2022
The offseason was filled with even more drama. Kevin Durant, who had signed a 4-year contract extension just a year before, requested a trade or that Steve Nash be fired. There were questions about whether Irving would return. After no deals were found for Durant, he and the Nets were able to repair things and he rescinded his trade request.
Kyrie Irving was once again in the news for making a post referencing a movie that featured antisemitic tropes. Irving then defended his post, and had faced no punishment from the Nets or the NBA. Nets GM Sean Marks said the Nets would be making Iriving unavailable to media in an effort to “let him simmer down.” Nevertheless, on Wednesday, Irving and the Nets donated $500,000 to anti-hate crime groups.
“It hurts me sometimes when we have to sit up here to talk about stuff that divides the game. That we gotta answer for what this idiot has done.”
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 1, 2022
Shaq speaks on Kyrie Irving pic.twitter.com/PsB38MiMqk
The Nets started the season 2-5 and Steve Nash was fired. The Nets have one of the worst defenses in the entire league. Reportedly, the Nets are likely to finalize a deal with Udoka to be their next head coach.
The Nets fired Steve Nash, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 1, 2022
Through all of this drama in the past few seasons, the Nets have only won one playoff series. There is seemingly no end to the soap opera that has entrenched the franchise, and the hiring of Udoka suggests the Nets are fine with it so long as it gives them a chance to win more basketball games. Less than two months ago Udoka was suspended for the entire season by the Boston Celtics for engaging in an improper relationship with a female member of the organization.
The Nets' culture was once respected and praised. Over the past few seasons, that has deteriorated into a chaotic state of affairs that is almost all self-inflicted. It remains to be seen if this will all lead to some sort of success on the basketball court, but as of now, it has been an utter disaster.
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