Nets owner Joe Tsai (left) looks on during the second half of the preseason WNBA game between the New York Liberty and the China National Team at Barclays Center. Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Nets owner Joe Tsai being told not to hire Ime Udoka as head coach?

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Larry Brown | Last updated 11/7/22

Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai has had his hands full with one issue lately, but there is another matter that is also pressing.

Tsai has been dealing with the fallout from Kyrie Irving's social media post, which led the Nets to suspend the guard for at least five games. At the same time, the Nets fired coach Steve Nash.

The Nets reportedly had their eye on Ime Udoka and planned to hire him as their replacement for Nash.

Days have gone by since that report went public. Now, Marc Stein says that’s for a reason — Tsai is reportedly being told not to hire Udoka.

League sources say there have been some "strong voices" urging Joe Tsai to back off the Nets' intent to hire suspended Celtics coach Ime Udoka as Steve Nash's successor given the considerable turmoil Brooklyn has already faced this season.

More to come: https://t.co/LGN9cVpMwn

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) November 7, 2022

Udoka was suspended a full season by the Boston Celtics for engaging in an inappropriate but consensual workplace relationship with a subordinate female employee. Udoka allegedly used “crude language” and made “unwanted comments” to the woman, which factored into the suspension.

This could be a matter of not compounding recent negative publicity over Irving with more negative publicity. Or there could be more to the situation.

What we do know is that hiring a coach who was just suspended a season would undermine the morality the Nets are trying to express with the Irving situation.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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