Ime Udoka is the frontrunner to replace Steve Nash as the Brooklyn Nets head coach, according to reports.

The Nets parted with Nash on Tuesday after five defeats from their opening seven games of the season.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Nets and Nash came to a mutual decision to part ways, a day after Brooklyn had snapped a four-game losing streak by defeating the Indiana Pacers.

Wojnarowski subsequently claimed Udoka, who was previously part of Nash's staff in Brooklyn before he led the Boston Celtics to the NBA Finals last season, is the Nets' top target and a deal could be struck by Thursday.

Udoka was suspended by the Celtics in September for an "improper" consensual relationship with a female staff member.

Should Udoka take the job, he will inherit a team packed with talent, though Nash had to deal with plenty of contentious issues during his two-year stint as Brooklyn coach.

Much of the controversy surrounded Kyrie Irving, whose refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19 meant he was unable to play in cities with vaccine mandates, including New York, in Nash's second season.

This campaign, Irving has been heavily criticised for his promotion of a documentary, which – according to Nets owner Joe Tsai – is "full of anti-Semitic disinformation".