Sacked by the Celtics for a relationship with one of the franchise’s staff members, Ime Udoka still seems to be popular in the NBA. Announced with the Nets a few months ago to replace Steve Nash, the 2022 finalist could finally land with the Raptors or the Rockets. In any case, the two teams are carefully scrutinizing the file, according to Heavy Sports.
Ime Udoka was the man who transformed the Celtics in three months. From a struggling, rhythmless and almost soulless team, he turned them into a collective war machine that reached the NBA Finals with a spirit beyond reproach. Inevitably, this kind of line on the CV, it attracts suitors. His adventure with Boston should have lasted a long time, but his extra-sports behavior decided otherwise. In an extra-marital relationship with a member of his staff, he would also have made derogatory remarks. Enough to force Boston to suspend him, then to fire him…
Gregg Popovich said he hopes Ime Udoka will be back coaching… We wrote at the start of March that teams were vetting him for possible openings. Sources are mentioning Toronto and Houston as possibilities if those clubs make moves.
Plus more from Pop…https://t.co/P2LQY07dls
— Steve Bulpett (@SteveBHoop) March 27, 2023
But not enough to discourage other teams. Expediency is sometimes king in the NBA, regardless of wrongdoing. The Nets wanted him back, but Joe Tsai was talked out of it by those close to him. Today without function, Ime Udoka would therefore be a target for the Raptors and the Rockets, according to several sources from the league. The former want to change dynamics, with a group far from being bad but which has undoubtedly dropped the leadership of Nick Nurse for quite a while. Rather than significantly changing the workforce, the Dinos could choose to change coaches and breathe new life into them.
For the latter, it’s more about creating something. No, we don’t play basketball all the time in Houston. No, Stephen Silas does not master much. Every H-Town game is the same: Jabari Smith Jr and Jalen Green create play for themselves in a mess that is only collective because several players wear the same jersey. 82 matches close to pick-up games in construction, and the obligation to hire a technician capable of exploiting and developing a group whose potential talent is unproven.
So where will Ime Udoka land? Probably with the team that makes him the best offer. The plans are both attractive on paper, but rumors of a James Harden return to Houston could perhaps be a game-changer if things heat up as summer approaches. Case to follow!
Source : Heavy Sports