After previous reports stated the Brooklyn Nets would hire the recently suspended Ime Udoka to fill Steve Nash’s head coach vacancy, they have officially gone another direction.
The team announced on Wednesday that assistant coach Jacque Vaughn will be named the Nets’ next head coach. Vaughn had already been serving in the position on an interim basis.
Vaughn, who has been with the Nets franchise since the 2016 season, has previous full-time head coaching experience with the Magic. He served as the frontman in Orlando from 2012 to 2015.
Of course, the big question now is what led the Nets decision not to proceed with Udoka. Was it the immediate public pushback or did the league office get involved? Regardless, the decision to pursue the former Nets assistant so soon after his suspension felt ill-advised, and I’m not sure anyone should be shocked that things ultimately didn’t workout.
I wouldn’t take our eyes of this situation just yet, however, as there is always a chance Udoka ends up in Brooklyn after this season comes to a close.