Anyone fire employees within the first couple months post-acq?

Posting anonymously in case anyone knows my employees. I closed on a business acquisition two months ago and just wrapped up the transition period last week. I inherited two employees who are proving challenging. Despite December being our slowest month, they constantly say they're "too busy" to take on tasks. The sellers confided that they'd wanted to fire one of them for years but never pulled the trigger—they basically chose to sell rather than deal with it. The second employee is friends with the first but also harbors resentment toward her (it's complicated). When I took over, I brought on additional staff who are fantastic. The sellers were so impressed with my new hires that they actually encouraged me to let the two problem employees go if they cause any issues for the new team. Here's my dilemma: I really hate firing people. Part of me believes I can turn things around with coaching and clear expectations. But another part wonders if I should just start fresh with a team that's excited to be part of a (hopefully) growing business. Has anyone faced a similar situation with inherited employees after an acquisition? I'd really appreciate connecting with someone who's been through this. Feel free to DM me.