GM Sean Marks: Nets Have Not Settled on Next Coach

While reports have suggested the Nets are set to hire Ime Udoka as next coach, general manager Sean Marks indicated everyone should pump the brakes.

“Absolutely not,” Marks said, via Brian Lewis of the New York Post, when asked if the Nets had made a decision on who will take over for Steve Nash, fired on Tuesday.

For now, the Nets are being coached by interim man Jacque Vaughn, the former head coach of the Magic. He also served as interim coach of the Nets previously, for 10 games in the 2019-20 season.

Along with Udoka, former Jazz coach Quin Snyder and former Rockets an Suns coach Mike D’Antoni are among those who have been linked to the Nets’ vacancy.

“You’re doing your due diligence on everybody’s background to make sure you’re bringing in the right person for the right job at the right time,” Marks said, via Erik Slater of Clutch Points.

Marks also addressed the decision to fire Nash.

“I certainly feel definitely some responsibility because this is does not fall (entirely) on him,” Marks said, via Lewis. “I take a great deal of responsibility in creating the roster, hiring staff, bringing people in.

“… “Over the course of the last days we’ve been talking and talking and I think it came to a head.”

Marks added that Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving had “zero” input on the Nash firing.

Udoka, 45, was suspended for the season by the Celtics for what the team called an inappropriate relationship with a female employee.

Given all the drama surrounding the Nets, it seems as if hiring Udoka would only add further controversy. Still, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania and ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Udoka will eventually land the job — and perhaps soon.