Steve Nash is FIRED by the Nets amid brutal 2-5 start after months of turmoil over Irvin, Durant

The Brooklyn Nets have parted ways with coach Steve Nash amid a brutal 2-5 start and months of turmoil surrounding team stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. 

Officially the Nets are saying that Nash and the team have decided to part ways, and Nash did not reveal any bitterness in his statement. 

‘It was a pleasure to work with the players, performance team and front office everyday,’ Nash wrote. ‘I’m especially grateful to my coaching staff and video room who are a talented group with so much character and professionalism.’

Longtime Nets assistant Jacque Vaughn will serve as interim coach, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. 

Vaughn previously served as interim coach when general manager Sean Marks dismissed then-head coach Kenny Atkinson in 2020. Ultimately Vaughn stayed with the team when Nash was hired before the 2020-21 season. 

Wojnarowski is reporting that the Nets are expected to consider suspended Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka, who received a year ban from the team after allegations of an improper affair with a female club employee surfaced. Boston would be willing to let Udoka leave, even though he remains under contract, Wojnarowski is reporting. Udoka served as an assistant coach under Nash during the 2020-21 campaign. 

Former Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder is also a possibility, according to Wojnarowski. 

The Brooklyn Nets have parted ways with coach Steve Nash amid a brutal 2-5 start and months of turmoil surrounding team stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving

Steve Nash bid farewell to the Nets on Tuesday (left) after two tumultuous years with Brooklyn stars Kevin Durant (near right) and Kyrie Irving (far right)

The Nets are expected to inquire about Ime Udoka (pictured alongside Durant) as a potential replacement. Udoka is currently suspended for the season by the Boston Celtics over an allegedly improper affair with a team employee. He previously worked as a Nets assistant 

Nash has faced his share of turmoil since taking his first head-coaching job in Brooklyn before the 2020-21 season.

A Hall of Fame point guard with the Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns, Nash went 48-24 with Brooklyn in his first season as head coach before beating the rival Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. Ultimately the Nets fell to the eventual-champion Milwaukee Bucks in the second round as Irving and James Harden battled injuries. 

Things got more complicated for Nash in 2021-22, due largely to Irving’s refusal to get vaccinated, in violation of a local COVID-19 mandate. As a result, Irving missed all but 29 regular-season games last season before the vaccine mandate was lifted, but the Nets still got swept by Boston in the first round of the 2022 NBA playoffs.

Exacerbating issues for the Nets was the disgruntled Harden, who was eventually dealt to Philadelphia in exchange for Ben Simmons.  

Then, over the summer, Durant demanded that Tsai fire Marks and Nash or trade him elsewhere. The three ultimately met together in LA in August, agreeing to work together this season.

But things have not gotten off to a good start this season in Brooklyn. During Wednesday’s loss, for instance, a fuming Nash was ejected for arguing with officials for the first time in his coaching career. 

There was a reported locker room meeting after Saturday’s loss to the Pacers, during which Nash, Simmons and Durant addressed the team’s struggles. 

‘How else do you say it?’ Nash told reporters afterwards. ‘I didn’t see the will, didn’t see the desire, or the connectivity necessary to get stops and get rebounds. 

‘We just got to make a bigger commitment and it’s got to mean more and we got to care more.

‘We have to look deep, deep inside ourselves and what we want to do. What do we want to accomplish? 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?’

Owner, Joseph Tsai of the Brooklyn Nets attends the game against the visiting Detroit Pistons

However, things got off to a bad start for the Nets, who dropped five of their first six games.

What’s worse, Irving took fire for tweeting out an Amazon link to an allegedly anti-Semitic video. Although the former Duke star has insisted that he is not anti-Semitic, he did not apologize or offer any explanation when talking to reporters after Saturday’s loss to the Indiana Pacers.

Irving has, however, deleted the offending Twitter post.

After Monday’s win, Nash said the incident can be a learning experience for the 30-year-old Irving.

‘I just hope that we all go through this together,’ Nash said. ‘There’s always an opportunity for us to grow and understand new perspectives. I think the organization is trying to take that stance where we can communicate through this. And try to all come out in a better position and both more understanding and more empathy for every side of this debate and situation.’

Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks (left) and now-former head coach Steve Nash talk to the media during media day at HSS Training Center

General manager Sean Marks and owner Joe Tsai were equally thankful to Nash for his efforts. 

‘We want to thank Steve for everything he brought to our franchise over the past two-plus seasons,’ Marks said in a statement. ‘Since becoming head coach, Steve was faced with a number of unprecedented challenges, and we are sincerely grateful for his leadership, patience and humility throughout his tenure. 

‘Personally, this was an immensely difficult decision; however, after much deliberation and evaluation of how the season has begun, we agreed that a change is necessary at this time. We wish Steve, Lilla and their family all the best in the future.’ 

Tsai also thanked Nash in a statement. 

‘I’ve gotten to know Steve during his time in Brooklyn, and he is not one to shy away from challenges,’ Tsai said. ‘My admiration and respect for him grew over time as he brought hard work and positive attitude to our organization every day, even in periods of exceptional storm surrounding the team. Clara and I want to thank Steve, Lilla and their family for making this extraordinary commitment. We began this journey as colleagues, we part as friends.’