Steve Nash fired, Jacque Vaughn to Brooklyn

Cellar-Door

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Thank you.

The compensation thing is odd -- the reports on Twitter suggest that the Celtics are not going to demand compensation. Maybe they're just happy to get this legal mess off their hands.
I mean, it always felt like the suspension was a way to save 1 year of salary before firing him anyway, now they save all 3.
 

CoffeeNerdness

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A day or two- taking Woj at his word lol- could be plenty of time to hammer out some compensation. Maybe just some $$$ and an agreement that when he comes back to Boston to coach the Nets he has to wear a Naked Gun style full body condom.
 

RG33

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I have a feeling that the Celtics aren't in a position to negotiate compensation.
How so ? He is under contract for this season, albeit under team suspension for the entirety of it. There is no reason to help a conference rival just to rid themselves of Udoka once and for all unless there is some concern that he will ultimately fight the suspension and win damages against the Celtics. They could gladly let him go to the Nets next season if need be.
 

Mooch

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Leaving all of the Ime drama to the side for a moment, can someone explain to me how this will work from a basketball standpoint? Udoka was kind of a tough love type motivator with the Celtics. How is that going to work with headcases like Simmons and Kyrie? This has the potential to become a nuclear meltdown very quickly.
 

Justthetippett

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The Ime situation has to be one of the weirder ones in Boston sports history. I do wish they got something in return, even if they also reap other benefits like getting out from under the contract. Also, we have to boo the hell out of him right? He threw a wrench in our up and coming team and then immediately left for a conference rival?
 

Fishy1

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Sure, add Ime Udoka and his drama to Ben Simmons, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Durant's problems... that should help! Turning into the island of misfit toys over there.
 

Eddie Jurak

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Leaving all of the Ime drama to the side for a moment, can someone explain to me how this will work from a basketball standpoint? Udoka was kind of a tough love type motivator with the Celtics. How is that going to work with headcases like Simmons and Kyrie? This has the potential to become a nuclear meltdown very quickly.
That was my first thought. However, Ime made assistant coaching stops in Brooklyn and Philly before coming to the C's, so if nothing else he has coached those guys, and Durant, before.
 

Auger34

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Leaving all of the Ime drama to the side for a moment, can someone explain to me how this will work from a basketball standpoint? Udoka was kind of a tough love type motivator with the Celtics. How is that going to work with headcases like Simmons and Kyrie? This has the potential to become a nuclear meltdown very quickly.
Personally, I think it’s going to be a bad fit. Durant and Irving don’t want to be coached hard or yelled at about effort. They essentially got Atkinson fired for doing those things.

Honestly, I don’t think there’s a coach on Earth that could go in there and fix that team with those personalities
 

DJnVa

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Yeah, Kyrie really doesn't seem like the guy Udoka would want to coach.
 

Buck Showalter

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Leaving all of the Ime drama to the side for a moment, can someone explain to me how this will work from a basketball standpoint? Udoka was kind of a tough love type motivator with the Celtics. How is that going to work with headcases like Simmons and Kyrie? This has the potential to become a nuclear meltdown very quickly.
I totally agree.
 

Gash Prex

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I think the "no compensation" tells you everything you need to know about how Boston views Ime. I am a bit surprised given the Nets are a competitor. I wonder how the players will react?

Pre-Violation Ime would be a good fit - post-violation seems like a risky bet. I guess it can't get worse in Brooklyn?
 

nattysez

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Pre-Violation Ime would be a good fit - post-violation seems like a risky bet. I guess it can't get worse in Brooklyn?
Netstown!

I ALMOST feel bad for KD. He really made himself quite a bed.

How long until the Nets sign Josh Primo?
 

benhogan

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My sense is KD handpicked IME. KD wants to win and is probably tired of the effort/circus.

IME doesn't mind calling out effort in pressers. He'll be the heavy here that the Nets desperately need.

Good on-court basketball decision, but has a chance of blowing up in the Nets face if sordid details come out
 

Cellar-Door

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Beyond moral ickiness (honestly it's Joe Tsai, he's not gonna give a shit, he made his fortune cozying up to people who wanted to kill his parents) a guy whose whole schtick is tough guy accountability isn't a great fit with Kyrie who gets made and pissy when asked to show any accountability for anything.
 

mcpickl

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How so ? He is under contract for this season, albeit under team suspension for the entirety of it. There is no reason to help a conference rival just to rid themselves of Udoka once and for all unless there is some concern that he will ultimately fight the suspension and win damages against the Celtics. They could gladly let him go to the Nets next season if need be.
This surely is the concern.

The Celtics obviously don't want to pay him, how can they hold him back from another employer that wants to pay him without being sued?

I'm sure Wyc is doing backflips just to not have to worry about that possibility at all.
 

mcpickl

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Beyond moral ickiness (honestly it's Joe Tsai, he's not gonna give a shit, he made his fortune cozying up to people who wanted to kill his parents) a guy whose whole schtick is tough guy accountability isn't a great fit with Kyrie who gets made and pissy when asked to show any accountability for anything.
It will be fun to watch Ime try to run his defensive system with Kyrie instead of Smart at the point, and Claxton instead of Rob Williams at the basket.

Good luck with that.
 

Mooch

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This is where I'm at. Everything that happened (and I do understand we don't have the full details) doesn't seem to matter at all.

Good luck with Kyrie and a 6'10" guy afraid of layups and free throws - and defense? Hahaha. I will be rooting against them full bore.
The Nets are officially now the most detestable team in the NBA and I'm not sure there's a close second.
 

Van Everyman

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My sense is KD handpicked IME. KD wants to win and is probably tired of the effort/circus.
Agreed -- my guess is that this is what he liked about Boston as a trade destination this offseason as well. Whether it works is a different story.

What happens when Kyrie tweets "The energy is going to shift"?
 

Justthetippett

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This surely is the concern.

The Celtics obviously don't want to pay him, how can they hold him back from another employer that wants to pay him without being sued?

I'm sure Wyc is doing backflips just to not have to worry about that possibility at all.
What’s the worst case scenario if he were to sue? They likely settle and pay? And how many coaches have sued their teams and had it work out well for them? Seems entirely possible there are as many arguments for Ime not to sue as reasons for the Celtics to be concerned. I don’t fault them wanting this to go away, but I think the legal liability fears are a bit overwrought.
 

Mooch

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The Celtics should hire Nash as an assistant coach just for laughs.
 

bankshot1

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The Nets ready to ink Ime while he's still under contract to the Celts is clearly tampering and dare I say, not kosher. Imo the Celts are entitled to their pound of Juniors Cheesecake or something.
 

Marciano490

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Netstown!

I ALMOST feel bad for KD. He really made himself quite a bed.

How long until the Nets sign Josh Primo?
Well, if they’re already going to have to fire all the women in the organization to bring on Ime, Primo should be safe as well.
 

cheech13

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No way the Celtics ask for compensation. It’s a gift that the Nets are relieving them of this headache.
 

nighthob

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ANy chance the Cs can fleece the Nets again, this time for Ime?
It would be hilarious to get Brooklyn's 2023 1st for Ime. And it would serve the Nets right for their shenanigans with the Demon Kyzuzu.
 

EvilEmpire

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I'm not convinced that Kyrie will be sticking around much longer. To me, firing Nash and bringing in Ime seems like a move to make Durant happy before they try to do a partial reset post-Kyrie.
 

worm0082

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They all deserve each other. What a sh*tshow of a team.

Good on Nash for getting the hell out of there.
 

nattysez

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In other news, is the NBA going to let Ime skate? They didn't need to take action against him because the Celtics had suspended him. Does he get to come waltzing back into coaching after being suspended a couple of months?
 

Marciano490

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I'm not convinced that Kyrie will be sticking around much longer. To me, firing Nash and bringing in Ime seems like a move to make Durant happy before they try to do a partial reset post-Kyrie.
Why waste the good will from dumping the antisemite only to bring in the sexual harasser? Doesn’t seem to make sense, unless there’s a certain (low) moral score Tsai likes to keep in balance.
 

mcpickl

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What’s the worst case scenario if he were to sue? They likely settle and pay? And how many coaches have sued their teams and had it work out well for them? Seems entirely possible there are as many arguments for Ime not to sue as reasons for the Celtics to be concerned. I don’t fault them wanting this to go away, but I think the legal liability fears are a bit overwrought.
I'd say worst case scenario is Wyc gets deposed and has to answer if any of his other employees during his Celtic ownership has ever had a sexual harassment claim against them, and if so what was the penalty?

Something like that.

If Wyc can get away with having to pay Ime nothing, and not have to worry about being sued, seems like a major win for Wyc to me.
 

Ed Hillel

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I'm not convinced that Kyrie will be sticking around much longer. To me, firing Nash and bringing in Ime seems like a move to make Durant happy before they try to do a partial reset post-Kyrie.
The rest of the roster stinks, and Kyrie isn’t gonna get anything compensation-wise. How will Durant ever be happy?
 

GB5

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A few things: I wish the celts owners were bad guys, because right after the Brooklyn introduces him the Celts should craftily release the dirt through a reporter. Make it miserable for Brooklyn as they are a division rival.

That press conference is going to be a lot of fun. He is going to get asked about it, and say nothing, meanwhile Shaughnessy will probably be there 5 hours early sitting in the front row..with a grin..
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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The speculation that this bails the Cs out of economics and that's why they are cool simply letting him go feels right.

Setting aside his personal life, Udoka has proven to be an effective coach. He clearly has different personnel to work with in Brooklyn but I will not be surprised if he makes it work regardless. Frankly, this may be the best development for someone like Ben Simmons. I don't want or expect anyone to agree with me here but on paper this makes Brooklyn a far more formidable opponent for the Cs. I may well be wrong but the good news is that it will be revealed in time - nobody has to tell me its an awful take yet (but feel free to - we are just debating our speculation).
 

EvilEmpire

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Why waste the good will from dumping the antisemite only to bring in the sexual harasser? Doesn’t seem to make sense, unless there’s a certain (low) moral score Tsai likes to keep in balance.
I just don't think keeping all the shitbags under one roof is how Tsai is going to move forward. There is enough ambiguity about whatever Ime did that it won't matter much to fans. There is no ambiguity about Kyrie. And I suspect that Durant will enjoy playing for Ime. Maybe that buys the Nets more time with Durant. Dunno. The whole franchise has been a slow-moving car wreck for a while now. Maybe this is a way for Tsai to try and salvage something, even if it doesn't work.

Edit: and beyond Durant, I agree that Ime might be a good coach for Simmons.
 

Toe Nash

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The speculation that this bails the Cs out of economics and that's why they are cool simply letting him go feels right.

Setting aside his personal life, Udoka has proven to be an effective coach. He clearly has different personnel to work with in Brooklyn but I will not be surprised if he makes it work regardless. Frankly, this may be the best development for someone like Ben Simmons. I don't want or expect anyone to agree with me here but on paper this makes Brooklyn a far more formidable opponent for the Cs. I may well be wrong but the good news is that it will be revealed in time - nobody has to tell me its an awful take yet (but feel free to - we are just debating our speculation).
I think Ime is a good coach and can probably get additional performance out of the team but that doesn't make them anywhere close to title contenders or much of a match for Boston as they are currently constructed. There should be plenty of motivation for Kyrie to be normal or Simmons to improve his game already so I'm skeptical that Ime is anything like a missing piece.
 

bankshot1

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I suspect Imes cost to the Celtics as a first time coach is relatively small and is dwarfed by the value he could deliver to a division rival. I see a compensation free deal as a poor one for the Celts. They are under no obligation to bail out the Nets for nothing
 

Ale Xander

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I’m kind of wondering what the New York Liberty roster think of Tsai hiring Ime.
 

joe dokes

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I think Ime is a good coach and can probably get additional performance out of the team but that doesn't make them anywhere close to title contenders or much of a match for Boston as they are currently constructed. There should be plenty of motivation for Kyrie to be normal or Simmons to improve his game already so I'm skeptical that Ime is anything like a missing piece.
It might just be the beginning of a road back. Durant likes Udoka well enough. Maybe he can get through to Simmons. Kyrie will always be Kyrie, but neither of the other two things were happening with Nash.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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I think Ime is a good coach and can probably get additional performance out of the team but that doesn't make them anywhere close to title contenders or much of a match for Boston as they are currently constructed. There should be plenty of motivation for Kyrie to be normal or Simmons to improve his game already so I'm skeptical that Ime is anything like a missing piece.
To clarify, a coaching hire won't make the Nets title contenders imo. But it may refocus the team and make them tougher overall. I also think Udoka's institutional knowledge of the Cs makes an opponent helmed by him a challenge but that's less of a concern in the big picture.
 

reggiecleveland

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Nash was taking a beating in Canada, and his Canadian charities' social media accounts last night for his soft statement about Kyrie yesterday "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." Has to suck for Nash to be let go after having to try and publically make nice with that idiot Kyrie.


Edit:
I place an over under of 2.5 hours from the official announcement of Im's hiring of Kyrie saying Ime being let go was becuse Celtics were racist.
 

timelysarcasm

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The speculation that this bails the Cs out of economics and that's why they are cool simply letting him go feels right.

Setting aside his personal life, Udoka has proven to be an effective coach. He clearly has different personnel to work with in Brooklyn but I will not be surprised if he makes it work regardless. Frankly, this may be the best development for someone like Ben Simmons. I don't want or expect anyone to agree with me here but on paper this makes Brooklyn a far more formidable opponent for the Cs. I may well be wrong but the good news is that it will be revealed in time - nobody has to tell me its an awful take yet (but feel free to - we are just debating our speculation).
I can't imagine many people would disagree with you, which is why the sentiment seems to be vague annoyance at this move by the Nets. Udoka is a good coach, and the only reason they are able to poach him for nothing is because of a suspension due to inappropriate behavior in the organization.

It's not like in any other circumstance we would have given him up for free, and I think he is better than Nash. So a division rival upgraded for nothing, and while Mazzulla seems to be competent and has everyone's support, that's also an unknown.
 

Jimbodandy

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I suspect Imes cost to the Celtics as a first time coach is relatively small and is dwarfed by the value he could deliver to a division rival. I see a compensation free deal as a poor one for the Celts. They are under no obligation to bail out the Nets for nothing
I hear what you're saying but pickl is right on this. It's not just a financial thing. Not having your org laundry aired in public has real value for Wyc et al.

They might get some comp but I'd be surprised if they held up the move over comp.
 

snowmanny

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Also, we have to boo the hell out of him right? He threw a wrench in our up and coming team and then immediately left for a conference rival?
Boo him? He took them to the Finals and then did something that made it uncomfortable or difficult to have him coach here. He seemed like a good coach but things change.

I don’t know enough about the situation to say anything beyond too bad and good luck, I hope you lose to everyone except Philly and the Knicks. And the Lakers.
 

DJnVa

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Boo him? He took them to the Finals and then did something that made it uncomfortable or difficult to have him coach here. He seemed like a good coach but things change.
He's not a good dude. I have no problem if folks want to boo him. But with everyone already booing Kyrie, will we even know?
 

bankshot1

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I hear what you're saying but pickl is right on this. It's not just a financial thing. Not having your org laundry aired in public has real value for Wyc et al.

They might get some comp but I'd be surprised if they held up the move over comp.
It's not a financial thing, it's a business competitive issue. If my rival wants my million dollar asset to make their multi billion dollar investment perform better, they should be prepared to pay for it. Just business As for the concern dirty laundry will be aired, too late for that.