Is Steve Nash's firing what the Brooklyn Nets need to turn things around?
The Brooklyn Nets decided to fire head coach Steve Nash on Tuesday following a rough start to the season (2-5).
The decision didn't come as a surprise, given the turbulent situation within the franchise.
With the superstar duo of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant reportedly not seeing eye-to-eye with Nash, a coaching change was inevitable. But is this what the Brooklyn Nets need to turn things around?
Following a turbulent offseason where Kevin Durant gave owner Joe Tsai an ultimatum about firing both Nash and General Manager Sean Marks, the Nets entered the season with the intention making a fresh start.
Eight games into the season, though, and the team is in dire straits. The Nets rank 28th in defensive rating and 19th in offensive rating while posting the fourth-worst per-game point differential (-6.8) in the NBA. At the same time, they are allowing 118.8 points per game, which ranks third-last in the Eastern Conference.
In a press conference on Tuesday, Sean Marks said the team has failed to live up to expectations and had no choice but to move on from Steve Nash.
“To be quite frank, the team was not doing what it was supposed to be doing. We have fallen from our goals, from meeting our goals, and it was time now because we still have lofty aspirations of where we need to get to.”
"When we're having these conversations, he's aware of, 'Hey, they're not responding to me right now' or 'That was not the performance I needed to see out there.'"
Sean Marks on his dialogue with Steve Nash
(via @erikslater_) twitter.com/i/web/status/1… https://t.co/032WaaqObf
With such poor numbers, it would take a major effort from the Nets to turn things around. It was also clear that Nash couldn't inspire his players to raise their level.
After Saturday's loss to the Indiana Pacers, Nash had admitted that the team had to look internally and fix the problems that had developed.
“We have to look deep, deep inside ourselves and what we want to do, what we want to accomplish,” Nash said via NBA.com. “Do we want to give up on this because it’s been difficult early, or do we want to stay the course and start to build something?”
Nash was aware of the struggles in his relationship with the players and had already notified Marks about it, according to the general manager.
“Steve and I talked daily if not hourly,” Marks added. “And when we’re having these conversations he was aware of, ‘Hey, they’re not responding to me right now’. So over the course of the last week, last 10 days, we’ve been talking and talking and I think it came to a head.”
Sean Marks said no players were consulted prior to the decision for Nets and the Nash to part ways. Marks says it’s unfair to put losses “purely on Steve” given distractions around the team.
“He has certainly not had an even playing field over 2.5 years here.”
What's next for the Brooklyn Nets?
With Steve Nash out, what is next for the Brooklyn Nets? Ime Udoka has emerged as the frontrunner to take over and a final decision could be made by Thursday.
Udoka has been suspended by the Boston Celtics for the entire season for violations of team policies. It was revealed that Udoka had an inappropriate intimate relationship with a female staff member.
The Celtics reportedly have no problem letting Udoka go without receiving any compensation following what happened in the preseason.
Udoka, who worked as a defensive coordinator for the Nets in the 2020-21 season, is considered a defensive specialist. He might be the best solution for a Brooklyn team that is struggling defensively, but still hoping to challenge for the title.
However, what is also crucial is how the new head coach will cope with the Irving-Durant dynamic. The two superstars clearly want to do things their way.
The Nets rely a lot on Durant and Irving, so the new head coach should make sure he is on the same page as his two most important players.
It is also important that the entire roster steps up to help create a winning streak and build confidence.
This didn't happen on Tuesday when they lost 108-99 to the Chicago Bulls at home in the first game of the post-Nash era, dropping to 2-6 on the season.
Overall, the firing of Steve Nash was a logical decision for the Brooklyn Nets following a rough start to the season and a turbulent atmosphere in the locker room.
However, if things don't improve and the Nets miss their chance to fight for the championship, the blame will ultimately fall on the players.