Inside The Celtics

Nets Not Hiring Ime Udoka, Name Jacque Vaughn Head Coach

PR is the driving force behind why the Nets aren't hiring Ime Udoka as they intended to, but Jacque Vaughn deserves this opportunity.

Bobby Krivitsky

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
In this story:

On the heels of a report from Marc Stein via his Substack that "strong voices" were urging Nets owner Joe Tsai not to hire Ime Udoka, Brooklyn's removing the interim tag and naming Jacque Vaughn as head coach.

Vaughn's promotion includes a deal through next season, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Nets are a franchise in turmoil, already dealing with Kyrie Irving's anti-Semitic actions and failure to explicitly apologize, resulting in a suspension for a minimum of five games and Irving needing to satisfy six conditions outlined by the Nets for him to return after that.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reports a series of factors in the Nets' due diligence process steered Brooklyn from hiring Udoka.

The Nets either uncovered enough to make a final decision on the matter, or they'll continue investigating. But if they're not hiring Udoka, it raises the question, will anyone?

Some will remain steadfast that PR is the driving force behind Brooklyn not bringing in Udoka as intended when the Nets and Steve Nash parted ways.

Still, Vaughn deserves this opportunity. Since he took over, Brooklyn's 2-2, and the team's playing much harder.

His contract won't stand in the way of the Nets making another coaching change over the summer, but if he earns the job beyond this season, it makes life much easier for the franchise. 

Further Reading

Here are Three Prop Bets to Consider Ahead of Celtics-Pistons Showdown

Here's Where Marcus Smart Lands On NBA's First DPOY Ladder of 2022-23 Season

The Top 5 Plays from Monday's Celtics-Grizzlies Game

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Grizzlies: Jayson Tatum Outduels Ja Morant as Boston Hangs on to Hand Memphis First Home Loss this Season

Exploring the Celtics' Options with the Disabled Player Exception Granted to Them for Losing Danilo Gallinari

Eager to Skip Ahead to the Playoffs, the Celtics Must Not Squander the Time Leading Up to It

Published
Bobby Krivitsky
BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

Home/Top Stories