Kevin Durant Says He 'Liked Working with' Steve Nash After HC Parts Ways with Nets
Nov 2, 2022
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 19: Head coach Steve Nash high-fives Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets as he heads to the bench during the second half against the New Orleans Pelicans at Barclays Center on October 19, 2022 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The Pelicans won 130-108. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Kevin Durant made headlines this offseason when Shams Charania of The Athletic reported the 12-time All-Star gave a him-or-me ultimatum regarding Steve Nash to Brooklyn Nets governor Joe Tsai, but the forward had positive things to say about his former head coach Tuesday.
"Let's be real. We're pros. We're veterans. We had a tough start," Durant told reporters after the Nets announced they parted ways with the coach. " ... We knew that everybody was being evaluated. That's just how it is in the league. I liked working with Steve."
To say things did not go according to plan for Nash in Brooklyn would be an understatement.
It started off well, with the team making the second round of the playoffs in his first season and narrowly losing to the eventual-champion Milwaukee Bucks. However, the 2021-22 campaign was loaded with disappointments.
Kyrie Irving missed much of the season because he remained unvaccinated against COVID-19, Durant was sidelined at times with injuries and James Harden was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in a deal that brought Ben Simmons to the Nets.
Simmons didn't play at all, and the Boston Celtics swept Brooklyn in the first round of the playoffs.
That was the backdrop heading into a tumultuous offseason that included Irving trade rumors and the Durant ultimatum. Then the Nets got off to a 2-5 start, and they decided to move on from Nash and start a new coaching search.
Charania reported that suspended Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka "has emerged as a strong frontrunner" in that search. The suspension came after an independent law firm hired by the Celtics found that Udoka broke team rules.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the investigation determined "he used crude language in his dialogue with a female subordinate prior to the start of an improper workplace relationship with the woman."
For now, Brooklyn has named assistant coach Jacque Vaughn as the interim head coach. He served previously in this role for the Nets when Kenny Atkinson stepped down midway through the 2020-21 season.
Durant will eventually need to form a new relationship with another coach, but he said he ended up enjoying his time with Nash, even if it ended without a championship.
NBA Twitter Raves About Jimmy Butler, Heat's Comeback Win vs. Warriors
Nov 2, 2022
MIAMI, FL - NOVEMBER 1: Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat dribbles the ball during the game against the Golden State Warriors on November 1, 2022 at FTX Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Miami Heat started the season 2-5, capped by a loss to the previously winless Sacramento Kings.
After that game, Heat star Jimmy Butler made a bold statement.
The playoffs are months away, but the Heat may have turned their season around immediately after that comment with a 116-109 comeback win over the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors on Tuesday.
Golden State led by as many as 10 points, but Miami outscored the Dubs 30-15 in the final 12 minutes for the win. Butler broke a 109-all tie late with a three-point play before adding a 17-footer with 9.5 seconds left for a 114-109 edge.
On a night when the Heat lost Tyler Herro early due to a left eye contusion, the rest of the team stepped up to hold off the Warriors and Stephen Curry, who posted a 23-point, 13-rebound, 13-assist triple-double.
Butler led the charge with 23 points, eight assists and six rebounds. Max Strus came off the bench for a game-high 24 points in relief of Herro. Bam Adebayo overcame a slow start to finish strong with 19 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals.
Twitter praised Butler and the Heat for their strong finish to the game.
On a day where Jimmy Butler says, at 2-5, Miami "is still winning the championship," beating Golden State is a hell of way to back it up.
It's early but as far as important Ws go, that was monumental. Lowry was superb in the 4th. Bam was tremendous all throughout. Strus/Robinson were integral w/out Herro. With the game on the line, the defense and Jimmy Butler closed it out. Turn the season around? This might be it
— HEAT on FanDuel Sports Network (@FanDuelSN_Heat) November 2, 2022
The Heat will now look for revenge against the Kings when they host them Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET.
NBA Twitter Blasts Nets for Continued Struggles vs. Bulls After Steve Nash Firing
Nov 2, 2022
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 01: Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets reacts to a foul call during the first quarter of the game against the Chicago Bulls at Barclays Center on November 01, 2022 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)
The Brooklyn Nets fired Steve Nash on Tuesday, but the move made little difference in how the team played on the court.
Brooklyn, which named Jacque Vaughn its interim head coach, fell to the Chicago Bulls 108-99 at Barclays Center in a game where Kevin Durant finished with 32 points, nine rebounds, six assists, one steal and two blocks. Royce O'Neale also had a solid performance, finishing with 20 points, five rebounds, three assists and one steal.
However, Kyrie Irving notched just four points, six rebounds and seven assists in 33 minutes in an uninspired showing in front of the Nets faithful. He didn't score his first basket until the fourth quarter, and finished having shot 2 of 12 from the floor and 0 of 6 from deep.
The firing of Nash could have reignited the Nets, but it did anything but, and now the team is being slammed for its continued struggles as it dropped to 2-6 on the season.
The Nets issues are bigger than Steve Nash. He was the scapegoat.
A meltdown by the Nets down the stretch. Bulls played harder and better when it mattered most. KD played tough throughout -- but Kyrie looked disengaged most of the game. The Nets turned the ball over 17 times. A strange game in the midst of a stranger day -- even for the Nets.
Steve Nash isn’t the coach anymore but the Nets are still a horrendous defensive team. Not much has changed. Marks better get this coaching hire right.
The Nets have one of the worst defenses in the NBA, entering Tuesday's game with the league's second-worst defensive rating at 119.1. Only the Memphis Grizzlies have a worse defensive rating at 119.5.
The team's offense hasn't been able to make up for the lack of defense, and it's clear the Nets need to change something moving forward. If they don't, it's possible they'll miss the playoffs just one season after being swept out of the first round by the Boston Celtics.
Luckily for the Nets, the season is still young, and they'll look to get back on track Friday against the Washington Wizards.
Shams: Ben Simmons' Status for Nets' 3-Game Road Trip 'In Doubt' Due to Knee Injury
Nov 1, 2022
Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons (10) dribbles the ball against the Indiana Pacers during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022 in New York. The Indiana Pacers won 125 - 116. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)
The Brooklyn Nets reportedly may be without Ben Simmons for the next few games.
Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported Simmons will miss Tuesday's home game against the Chicago Bulls with left knee soreness and swelling. He also said Simmons status "is in doubt" for the ensuing three-game road trip against the Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets and Dallas Mavericks.
Brooklyn will be under the spotlight Tuesday after parting ways with head coach Steve Nash earlier in the day. It will do so without Simmons, a three-time All-Star and two-time All-Defensive team selection who potentially could have helped slow down Bulls swingman DeMar DeRozan.
Simmons missed the entire 2021-22 campaign in part because of a back injury and missed his rookie season in 2016-17 with a foot injury. The Philadelphia 76ers traded him to the Nets midway through last season, but he never took the court for either team.
Simmons has appeared in six games thus far this season, but he has struggled at times. He's averaging only 6.2 points in 31.8 minutes per game.
The LSU product also fouled out of two of those six games, has yet to attempt more than seven shots in a single contest and is shooting just 46.7 percent from the free-throw line.
Simmons has found other ways to make an impact with 7.3 assists and 6.5 rebounds per game. Still, injuries and the lack of an outside shot have limited the overall ceiling for the No. 1 overall pick of the 2016 NBA draft.
He is now dealing with another health setback.
NBPA Denounces Hate Speech After Kyrie Irving's Promotion of Antisemitic Film
Nov 1, 2022
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 31: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Brooklyn Nets brings the ball up the court during the first quarter of the game against the Indiana Pacers at Barclays Center on October 31, 2022 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)
The National Basketball Players Association released a statement denouncing antisemitism and committing to "identifying and combating all hate speech" in the wake of Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving's since-deleted promotion of an antisemitic film on social media.
The NBPA did not mention Irving, who serves as one of the organization's seven vice presidents, specifically.
However, the statement is part of a recent spate of remarks and criticism of Irving's promotion of the film. The NBA released a similar statement Friday:
The Nets also released a statement as well, per The Athletic's Alex Schiffer:
"The Brooklyn Nets strongly condemn and have no tolerance for the promotion of any form of hate speech. We believe that in these situations, our first action must be open, honest dialogue. We thank those, including the ADL, who have been supportive during this time."
Nets governor Joe Tsai expressed his disappointment in Irving in a tweet Friday.
One day later, Irving released a statement on Twitter saying that he did not mean any "disrespect to anyone's religious beliefs."
I am an OMNIST and I meant no disrespect to anyone’s religious beliefs. The “Anti-Semitic” label that is being pushed on me is not justified and does not reflect the reality or truth I live in everyday. I embrace and want to learn from all walks of life and religions.
On Monday, a group of patrons wearing "Fight Antisemitism" shirts appeared courtside during the Nets' 116-109 win over the Indiana Pacers. The Nets did not make him available to reporters postgame.
The Nets' next game will be Tuesday at home against the Chicago Bulls at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving Weren't Consulted Before Steve Nash's Exit, Nets' GM Says
Nov 1, 2022
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 26: General Manager Sean Marks of the Brooklyn Nets speaks at the podium during a press conference at Brooklyn Nets Media Day at HSS Training Center on September 26, 2022 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)
Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks told reporters Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were not consulted before the team parted ways with coach Steve Nash.
The Nets and Nash agreed to a mutual parting Tuesday after a disappointing 2-5 start. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Brooklyn is expected to hire suspended Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka to replace Nash.
A formal announcement of Udoka's hiring could happen Wednesday. The Celtics are not expected to seek any draft compensation in return despite Udoka currently being under contract.
It's highly unlikely Durant is losing sleep over Nash's ouster. The future Hall of Famer pushed for the dismissal of Nash and Marks during the offseason amid his trade-demand fiasco. While governor Joe Tsai declined to make a move on either his coach or general manager at the time, giving Nash a seven-game window to turn things around was not a particularly strong vote of confidence.
Rather than promote from within—assistant Jacque Vaughn is well-regarded and led the team to a 7-3 record as the interim coach in 2020—the Nets seem determined to throw themselves into the firestorm of another controversy with Udoka.
The soon-to-be-former Celtics coach was suspended for the entire 2022-23 season after being accused of sexual misconduct. An independent investigation found Udoka made crude comments to a female Celtics employee before engaging in an inappropriate sexual relationship with the woman.
Wojnarowski wrote in September that Udoka's words were "especially concerning coming from a workplace superior," though no details were released by the team.
The Nets organization hiring Udoka just months after Boston took the unprecedented step to suspend him will undoubtedly raise some eyebrows. It would be fair to criticize the mixed message being sent by Tsai, who tweeted "it's bigger than basketball" after expressing his disappointment in Irving for his promotion of an antisemitic film on social media.
Irving remains in the eye of the storm after a tense back-and-forth with a reporter Saturday night about his actions. The Nets guard refused to take responsibility for using his platform to promote the film, which utilizes antisemitic themes and tropes, and doubled down on his decision to repost an Alex Jones conspiracy theory that peddles a lie about a so-called "New World Order" controlling the world.
Kyrie Irving Trade Rumors: Some NBA Execs 'Would Not Touch' Nets PG If Shopped by BK
Nov 1, 2022
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 31: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Brooklyn Nets looks on during a break in the action during the fourth quarter of the game against the Indiana Pacers at Barclays Center on October 31, 2022 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)
In what will come as little surprise, the trade market for Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving hasn't improved following the start of the 2022-23 NBA season and Irving's recent posts on social media promoting an antisemitic film.
Newsday's Steve Popper spoke with a "few" team executives from around the league who said they "would not touch" Irving.
Irving's future in Brooklyn was a frequent topic of discussion over the summer. The fact he remained with the Nets reflected how both sides were stuck in a marriage of convenience.
Trading the seven-time All-Star wasn't going to yield an equal return in terms of players coming back, so the team was stuck on that front. Irving, meanwhile, almost assuredly wasn't going to get anything better financially than his $36.5 million player option, so opting out wasn't realistic.
Both sides stood to gain from a continued partnership. A big year from Irving would improve his chances of landing a lucrative multiyear contract next offseason, and it would potentially make the Nets favorites to win the Eastern Conference.
That things have unraveled is nonetheless unsurprising, though, the expediency and manner of the meltdown are stunning.
Irving reposted a video of Infowars' Alex Jones discussing the "New World Order" conspiracy theory to his Instagram account in September. Then this month, he shared a link to a film that utilizes antisemitic themes and tropes.
The veteran point guard addressed the situation following a 125-116 loss to the Indiana Pacers last Saturday. During his press conference, he got into a tense exchange with a reporter and said he was "not going to stand down on anything that I believe in."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56bwE_Lfw_I
The NBA and National Basketball Players Association have both issued statements condemning antisemitism, and while neither specifically cited Irving, it was impossible not to connect the dots.
Likewise, Nets governor Joe Tsai shared his disappointment over Irving's posts about the film. Irving's responded that he "meant no disrespect to anyone's religious beliefs."
It's difficult to picture another team being willing to trade for Irving and deal with the fallout that would ensue.
Best Fits for Nets' Next HC After Steve Nash's Exit After 2-Plus Seasons
Nov 1, 2022
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 13: Head Coach Ime Udoka of the Boston Celtics looks on against the Golden State Warriors during Game Five of the 2022 NBA Finals on June 13, 2022 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
After an offseason of uncertainty about Steve Nash's job status, the Brooklyn Nets parted ways with their head coach and appear to be targeting Ime Udoka as his replacement.
He leaves the organization after just seven games in 2022-23, per an announcement from the team.
Nash posted a statement on Twitter about the decision:
This move wasn't completely unexpected after Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported in August that Kevin Durant told Nets governor Joe Tsai to either fire Nash and general manager Sean Marks or trade him.
As for what's next, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Udoka is likely going to be named permanent head coach, with a formal announcement potentially coming within the next 24 to 48 hours. Jacque Vaughn will serve as interim head coach for Tuesday's game against the Chicago Bulls.
The Boston Celtics, who have Udoka under contract, will let him leave for another job, according to Wojnarowski.
Wojnarowski previously reported the Nets would inquire about Udoka and Quin Snyder, among others, about becoming their full-time head coach.
Udoka's situation is the most complicated among the potential targets for Brooklyn. The 45-year-old had a fantastic first season as head coach of the Boston Celtics in 2021-22. He led them to the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference and an appearance in the NBA Finals.
On Sept. 22, the Celtics announced Udoka was suspended for the entire 2022-23 campaign for violations of team policies. The team said a decision about his future beyond this season would be made at a later date.
Per Wojnarowski, an independent law firm hired by the Celtics to investigate the situation found Udoka "used crude language in his dialogue with a female subordinate prior to the start of an improper workplace relationship with the woman."
Per Charania, the woman accused Udoka of making "unwanted comments toward her," which prompted the Celtics to launch a set of internal interviews.
The Athletic's Jay King noted Udoka's history with the Nets and ability to coach top stars could make him a fit for them if they are "willing to overlook the serious mess that led to his suspension in Boston."
Ime Udoka worked for the Nets as an assistant the year before the Celtics hired him. His coaching style seems to work with stars. He would make a lot of sense as a Steve Nash replacement if Brooklyn is willing to overlook the serious mess that led to his suspension in Boston.
Snyder resigned as head coach of the Utah Jazz in June after eight seasons. He walked away with 372 wins, six consecutive playoff appearances and 51 postseason victories. All three of those marks rank second in franchise history, behind Jerry Sloan.
If the Nets are looking to hire a coach who can bring some stability to a franchise in desperate need of it without all the negative headlines that would come with Udoka, Snyder would be a good choice. He took over a Jazz team in 2014 still mired in a rebuild, helped develop Rudy Gobert into an All-Star center and guided Donovan Mitchell after the team drafted him with the No. 13 pick in 2017.
Udoka is certainly an impressive head coach based on how he was able to adjust midway through his first season with the Celtics. They were 23-24 after a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Jan. 21 before winning 28 of their final 35 games in the regular season.
There is going to be a level of scrutiny and attention on Udoka if he is the choice because of his suspension and the many details about it that remain unknown.
Even though it doesn't sound like he will be given the chance to prove he can handle the job, Vaughn has the credentials to at least be worth consideration. The 47-year-old has three years of experience as a head coach with the Orlando Magic from 2012-13 to 2014-15. He went 58-158 before being fired in February 2015.
Vaughn has been on Brooklyn's coaching staff since the 2016-17 season when he was hired as Kenny Atkinson's lead assistant. He served as interim head coach for 10 games during the 2019-20 season after Atkinson was fired in March 2020.
The Nets formally interviewed Vaughn for the job in September 2020 before Nash was hired. He knows this roster well and has established relationships with all of the players that could serve him well.
Whoever is hired by the Nets will have to address the recent actions of star point guard Kyrie Irving.
Irving, a seven-time All-Star, has faced no consequences from the team or NBA after tweeting out a link to a documentary called Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America.
Per Jon Blistein of Rolling Stone, the movie is "stuffed with antisemitic tropes." Irving has since deleted the tweet, but he got defensive about the situation during a postgame press conference after Saturday's loss to the Indiana Pacers.
Tsai and the NBA released separate statements on Twitter condemning hate speech, but Irving was in the Nets' starting lineup and played 43 minutes in Monday's victory over the Pacers.
Nash went 94-67 in two-plus seasons as Brooklyn's head coach. He made the playoffs in each of the previous two seasons but only managed one postseason series victory during that span.
NBA Rumors: Ime Udoka 'Strong Front-Runner' for Nets HC Job After Steve Nash Exit
Nov 1, 2022
Ime Udoka
Suspended Boston Celtics coach Ime
Udoka has emerged as the "strong front-runner" to fill the Brooklyn Nets head coaching
vacancy, according to Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Udoka is "likely" to be the hire and it could be finalized in the next 24-48 hours. Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated added the sides are in "advanced discussions" about a contract for him to take over.
Chris Haynes of NBA on TNT reported the Celtics won't seek compensation from the Nets if they hire Udoka:
The Boston Celtics will not seek compensation from the Brooklyn Nets and will allow Ime Udoka to move on, league sources tell @NBAonTNT.
General manager Sean Marks later told reporters at a press conference the team has not made any decisions regarding its next head coach.
Wojnarowski originally reported Udoka and former Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder were among the early candidates for the job.
Earlier Tuesday, the Nets announced they mutually parted ways
with Steve Nash, who had led the team's coaching staff since September
2020.
Brooklyn named Jacque Vaughn as its
acting head coach beginning with Tuesday night's home game against the
Chicago Bulls while the coaching search takes place.
In September, Celtics governor Wyc
Grousbeck announced Udoka was given a one-year suspension for
multiple violations of team policies.
An independent investigation determined
those violations included Udoka using "crude language in his
dialogue with a female subordinate prior to the start of an improper
workplace relationship with the woman," per Woj.
The 45-year-old Oregon native remains
under contract with the Celtics, so the team would have to give its
permission for him to interview with another organization, but Boston
is willing to let him leave to accept another job, according to Woj.
Udoka guided the C's to a 51-31 record
and an appearance in the 2022 NBA Finals during his first season as a
head coach. He finished fourth in Coach of the Year voting.
He previously spent one season as an
assistant with the Nets in 2020-21 under Nash following prior stints
on the San Antonio Spurs and Philadelphia 76ers staffs.
Snyder stepped down in June after eight
years with the Jazz. It was his first NBA head coaching job after
prior opportunities in that role at the college level with Missouri
and in the G League with the Austin Toros, the San Antonio Spurs'
affiliate.
"It was just time," Snyder told reporters. "I
tried to give a voice to that, but it really isn’t any more
complicated than that. It was just time. This was something I labored
over. I had thought about it for a period of weeks."
He guided Utah to a 372-264
regular-season record with six straight postseason appearances during
his tenure.
His 30-year coaching career also
includes time as an assistant in the NBA, college and Russia's VTB
United League.
The Nets, led by the high-profile trio of Kevin
Durant, Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons, are off to a rocky 2-5 start in
large part due to their 28th-ranked defense (120.3 points allowed per
game).
Udoka and Snyder are both
defensive-minded coaches who could help Brooklyn's star-studded
roster begin turning things around at that end of the floor.
NBA Twitter Thrilled for Steve Nash After Exit as Nets HC
Nov 1, 2022
BROOKLYN, NY - OCTOBER 31: Head Coach Steve Nash of the Brooklyn Nets looks on during the game against the Indiana Pacers on October 31, 2022 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
It isn't often the firing of a head coach brings a sense of collective relief, but that was the case Tuesday after the Brooklyn Nets announced they parted ways with head coach Steve Nash.
Nash had an eventful run during the two-plus seasons he was in charge.
One star player angled for and received a trade. Another star player reportedly wanted him fired this offseason. And yet another star player was absent for most of last year because he declined to get the COVID-19 vaccine before managing to cause a stir by posting a link to an antisemitic film on his Twitter account.
For Nash, being unemployed might be preferable to keeping his old job.
thrilled for steve nash. he can go and root for tottenham or whatever. the only fun day at work was when KD scored 49 points in game 5 vs milwaukee and they hugged after. https://t.co/5pcNZ40mfu
Now it's Jacque Vaughn's mess to deal with, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Wojnarowski reported that Vaughn will take over for now and that Brooklyn could reach out to Ime Udoka or Quin Snyder about the job.
Udoka and Snyder might want to reach out to Nash to understand just what kind of situation they'd be inheriting.
