We are only two weeks into the regular season, and an NBA team already waved goodbye to its head coach. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the Brooklyn Nets are parting ways with Steve Nash. That begs the question, who will (eventually) be hired to take his place? We’ll break down the Nets next head coach odds in the following section.
Brooklyn Nets Next Head Coach Odds
The Nets next head coach odds have not been released. This section will be updated once the odds come out. In the meantime, we will speculate on a few intriguing candidates for the job.
The Frontrunner: Ime Udoka
Udoka has to be the frontrunner at this point. After taking the Boston Celtics to the NBA Finals last season, he was suspended for the 2022-23 season. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the Nets are expected to inquire about Udoka’s status. Boston will reportedly let Udoka leave for another job.
Jacque Vaughn is the acting head coach tonight but expect the Nets to inquire with suspended Celtics coach Ime Udoka, Quin Snyder, among others. Boston will let Udoka leave for another job.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 1, 2022
This makes plenty of sense, right? Udoka needs a change in scenery. It’s hard to believe that he will ever coach for Boston again. However, is Brooklyn the best move for him? The Nets have plenty of talent on the roster, but they are an absolute headache to manage. Between Kyrie Irving’s off-the-court issues, Ben Simmons’ struggles, and Kevin Durant’s wishy-washy attitude, any prospective coach would think twice before taking the reigns.
Next In Line: Quin Snyder
Let’s be clear, Snyder probably isn’t the best fit for this team. Sure, he’s an NBA veteran who knows the game inside and out. Snyder most recently coached the Jazz from 2014-2022, where he had a 59% win rate while contending for NBA Coach of the Year on several occasions. However, it seems that Snyder is more of a backup plan for the Nets if Udoka falls through.
The Longshot: Mark Jackson
This is an absolute longshot, but Jackson’s name seems to come up any time there’s an NBA coaching vacancy. If you recall, the former player and ESPN commentator briefly coached the Golden State Warriors from 2011 to 2014. Even though Jackson was widely respected by Golden State, the front office decided a new coach was needed to make a championship run. They were correct. The Warriors dumped Jackson for Steve Kerr, and the Warriors’ dynasty took off from that point.
Interim Head Coach: Jacque Vaughn
Jacque Vaughn will serve as Brooklyn’s interim head coach until a decision is made. Nobody knows how long that decision will take, but Vaughn will try to right the ship in the meantime in order to keep the Nets from completely falling apart.
Regarding the Nets’ next head coach, team says that Jacque Vaughn will serve as interim head coach for tonight’s game & ‘a decision regarding the team’s next head coach will be made in the near future.’
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) November 1, 2022
Vaughn could be considered a candidate for the Nets next head coach. He’ll be on a trial basis for the time being, which could serve as an audition for this job. However, let’s be honest here. The Nets didn’t fire Steve Nash to hand the keys to Jacque Vaughn for the long term. They are looking to make a splash hire, and Udoka is likely their top choice.
