Stephen A. Smith believes Jacque Vaughn being named as the Brooklyn Nets head coach is a “mistake” despite the Nets winning their first game under new management.
The Brooklyn Nets emerged winners against the New York Knicks in their latest game at the Barclays Center on Wednesday night. While recent weeks have not been kind to the Nets off the court with the Kyrie Irving anti-Semitism row that saw him get suspended for five games without pay and Steve Nash being fired, the win came as a well-timed beacon of hope.
The Nets out on a spirited performance as they came out on top by 116-85 against the Knicks in Brooklyn, recording their first win under the management of Jacque Vaughn in his first game in charge. While the Nets had a struggling start to the season under Steve Nash, his marching orders last week saw an upturn in form that has now seen the Nets win three of their last four games.
The Nets looked like an outfit rejuvenated even without Kyrie Irving, as Kevin Durant and his team were impressive in both offense and defense as they defeated the Knicks by their biggest margin so far this season. Even though the win was an impressive start to Vaughn’s stint as Nets head coach, Stephen A. Smith revealed that he thinks appointing Vaughn was a “mistake.”
The NBA analyst explained his statement as he reasoned that passing on the opportunity to swoop up Ime Udoka was a mistake on behalf of the Nets.
Smith, who was in attendance at the Barclays Center for ESPN, spoke after the game that he felt that the Nets passing on Ime Udoka was a mistake. The former Boston Celtics coach who was suspended by the franchise on account of a workplace cheating scandal was adjudged as the favourite to land the Nets job after Nash’s sacking, however the Nets chose to appoint Vaughn.
Even though Vaughn has indeed started on the front foot, Udoka is a proven coach as he took the Celtics to the NBA Finals last season. Smith said: “I am happy for Vaughn, he is a good coach – but I still believe it was a mistake. Ime Udoka is one of the elite coaches in the game, and to pass on the opportunity to have him because of their own drama – I don’t think it’s the way to go.”
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