The brief, impactful and tumultuous Ime Udoka era in Boston appeared finished on Tuesday afternoon in one swift transaction. The Brooklyn Nets, who fired head coach Steve Nash following a 2-5 start, will reportedly hire the suspended Celtics coach with no objection from Boston.
Hiring Udoka marks the end of his one-year suspension from the Celtics after six games. It’ll become an attempt at a new chapter for Udoka, moving past the unspecified violations of team policy that placed his future in Boston in doubt, and an act of desperation on Brooklyn’s part. Nash’s firing, a mutual parting of ways according to reports, placed added pressure on GM Sean Marks, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, who’s embroiled in controversy for sharing an antisemitic film on his Instagram account.
Marks, who said the Nets did not decide on a new head coach yet, stressed time is ticking and they’d seek one with connections, a voice and who holds players accountable. Irving and Durant, who called for Nash and Marks’ firing in the summer, were not consulted in Nash’s dismissal. Durant considered the it NBA business as usual.
“There have been games where I don’t think we’ve brought it,” Marks said.
For the Celtics, Udoka’s reported hiring resurfaced the uncertainty and confusion regarding his ousting following a law firm investigation within days of training camp. It likely cements interim head coach Joe Mazzulla’s standing through and beyond this critical season, though that decision to remove the interim tag becomes sped up. Assistants Damon Stoudamire, Ben Sullivan and Aaron Miles, all friends, associates and Udoka hires who now know he won’t return to lead their staff. Could Udoka pursue them after this year?
The stability Udoka helped shape after a first round postseason exit, Danny Ainge’s abrupt retirement and Brad Stevens leaving his head coaching role after eight years culminated in a NBA Finals appearance could still be undone. Mazzulla, originally hired by Stevens in 2020 and his lone remaining assistant, impressed in training camp by overhauling the offense and winning his first three regular season games. A lagging defense and interactions with officials set the Celtics back on a two-game losing streak before they dominated Washington on Sunday. They traveled to Cleveland after an off day on Monday.
“We have to know out personnel, and at the same time, we have to learn how to win again,” Mazzulla said after Friday’s loss. “Each season, you come into it, you’re not guaranteed to win. So, it’s valuing the ball and it’s knowing tendencies, and it’s boxing out and rebounding, just the fundamentals. So, you just have to relearn them and then constantly do them.”
Udoka built a historic defensive unit around Marcus Smart, versatile wings and Robert Williams III by switching everything and attacking on that end. Williams III underwent surgery in training camp and isn’t expected back on the floor until close to Christmas. In his place, Boston’s bigs dropped and perimeter players switched less aggressively as the defense’s efficiency fell to 22nd early this year. More pace, off-ball screening and movement offensively led the other side of the ball into the top five, generating some of the easiest looks of Jayson Tatum’s career. Tatum and his fellow stars embraced leadership roles in Udoka’s place.
The biggest worry following Udoka’s departure would’ve been Celtics players belaboring his absence. Instead, the topic largely disappeared after and angst-filled media day. Players rallied around Mazzulla and talked up his coaching acumen, while others like Al Horford who didn’t know him grew impressed early in camp. Mazzulla flashed fire in a close opening night win over Philadelphia and made the right call promoting Derrick White as a starter. His aggressive approach to prevent threes and looks at the rim defensively appears promising.
Udoka’s return to the league after disappearing following his brief statement accepting Boston’s punishment reintroduces the topic to this season. The Celtics don’t host Brooklyn until Feb. 1, but are scheduled to face their old head coach in one month on Dec. 4 if he assumes the position. The Nets drew criticism for flippantly promoting the head coach, who’s been accused of partaking in an improper workplace relationship, committing multiple violations, along with using crude and unwanted comments toward the fellow employee.
Jacque Vaughn, a Nets assistant since 2016, coached the team in the interim to a loss against the Bulls on Tuesday night. Udoka served alongside him on Nash’s first staff in 2020-21, helping lead Brooklyn to a seven-game series against the Bucks, the height of a disappointing era on the brink. He also coached Ben Simmons, out for a second straight game with knee soreness, in Philadelphia in 2019-20.
The Nets, constantly trying to refocus on basketball amid off-court debacles in recent years, added to their list of potential distractions even if they hope Udoka can stabilize their woeful defense, manage egos and challenge both Durant and Irving.
Jaylen Brown liked and shared reports indicating Udoka’s departure for Brooklyn. Smart expressed the love the Celtics’ players still had for him and Jayson Tatum found out about his suspension on Twitter.
The Celtics agreed quickly to release Udoka from his deal they’ll now have no entanglement to, even after considering him joining a talented conference rival. Wyc Grousbeck and Stephen A. noted his suspension included some financial penalty that’ll become moot, along with the rest of his contract. Any compensation seemed unlikely, with coach trades phased out since Boston dealt Doc Rivers to Brooklyn.
It’s unclear why the Celtics suspended rather than fired Udoka, which would’ve inevitably led him to the Nets too. That’ll likely remain a mystery, along with many of the details, for privacy reasons. Udoka will return to fielding questions nightly in his new role though, needing to address his own issues before his new team’s ones.
