Nets planning to hire suspended Celtics coach Ime Udoka to replace Steve Nash

The Brooklyn Nets have fired Steve Nash. Assistant Jacque Vaughn is set to take over as interim head coach, but the team is reportedly planning to hire the Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka to take his place instead.

The Athletic’s Shams Charania reports that the two sides are already engaged in discussions and planning to make the hire. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that a deal is expected within 1 to 2 days. Celtics will reportedly allow Udoka to opt-out of his contract to take another job.

If Udoka becomes the next Nets head coach, he brings his own set of baggage along with him. His first season in Boston was a success as he coached the Celtics to the NBA Finals. But he’s suspended for the season for reportedly having “an improper intimate and consensual relationship with a female member of the team staff.” The official Celtics stance is that he violated the team’s code of conduct.

Udoka would be arriving during the controversy surrounding Kyrie Irving, who’s under fire after promoting an antisemitic movie on social media and declining to back down from his decision to do so.

Managing the revival of Ben Simmons’ career will likely be a priority. Simmons is six games into his Nets season after missing the entirety of last season amid his breakup with the Philadelphia 76ers.