Udoka may later be in demand
There have been questions about the conditions of Ime Udoka’s suspension, which is unprecedented.
Can Udoka attend a Celtics game? According to an NBA source, Udoka will not be attending any Celtics game this season. That does not prevent him from attending other NBA games, but as far as being seen in the stands watching the Celtics, that’s not going to happen.
Also, according to an NBA source, the Celtics would not prevent Udoka from pursuing other jobs, and he most certainly will be a head coaching candidate, perhaps next season, when his suspension concludes and he likely reaches a contract settlement with the Celtics.
The Celtics will not stand in the way of another team pursuing Udoka. There are hot seats for Doc Rivers in Philadelphia and Steve Nash in Brooklyn, previous stops for Udoka. But considering the circumstances of Udoka’s suspension and the negative publicity it could bring, it’s unlikely anything anything will happen this season.
Udoka is making roughly 50 percent of his salary not to work, and the Celtics would certainly love to get out from under that commitment, but they also have the option of bringing Udoka back next season, if Joe Mazzulla doesn’t work out as coach.
The Celtics’ brass want Mazzulla to become the permanent coach, and if the team flourishes this season, it would be more inclined to work out a settlement with Udoka.
The decision to suspend Udoka was a Celtics decision, and not one of the NBA, and he doesn’t face any penalty from the league. Of course, the NBA had to be informed of the Celtics’ decision, but it left it up to the club to determine Udoka’s fate.
But as time passes and the demand for talented coaches increases, especially in situations such as in Brooklyn and Philadelphia, the demand for Udoka will increase.
As for Rivers, he was not hired by 76ers general manager Daryl Morey, and this is a pivotal season for the franchise, considering James Harden and Joel Embiid are now healthy. Rivers has been criticized for the inability to push teams to the next level, blowing 3-1 leads twice in the conference semifinals while with the Clippers, and losing twice in the second round in Philadelphia.
Rivers said recently he still enjoys coaching and that he is optimistic that the 76ers will get it together and become a contender in the Eastern Conference.
But a slow start that included a home loss to the Spurs is putting the pressure on management to cure the organization’s ills.
Udoka has already proven to be a top-10 NBA coach, leading the Celtics to the NBA Finals in his first season, helping Boston finish the regular season 33-10 after an 18-21 start. He galvanized the franchise and the players, which is why it was such a crushing blow to Celtics brass when he violated the conduct policy.
The organization will continue to ponder whether Udoka can ever coach in Boston again, and it will place full support behind Mazzulla, who has begun his coaching career seamlessly after being thrown into the position just days before training camp.
As long as Mazzulla continues to lead the club on a positive path and the Celtics contend in the East, it’s highly likely he will remain the coach.