It’s looking more and more likely Ime Udoka won’t coach the Celtics in 2022-23, but could his run as Boston head coach be done after just one season?
The Celtics are expected to suspend Udoka for the entire season after reports of an alleged relationship with a team staffer emerged late Wednesday night. According to veteran NBA reporter Chris Mannix, Udoka himself still is considering the possibility of resigning as head coach of the Celtics.
At this point, all we can do is speculate. It’s been more than 12 hours since the original reports surfaced, but all parties involved have been silent until this point. Perhaps Udoka’s uncertainty about his own future is part of that reason. If the Celtics are waiting for him to make a decision on his future, that certainly could be part of the reason for the delay.
Udoka resigning would also change the long-term outlook of the franchise, too. Assistant coach Joe Mazzulla was expected to take over as the interim coach if and when Udoka was suspended for the season. If Udoka resigned, though, would Mazzulla be promoted to full-time head coach? It’s clear he’s highly thought of both in Boston and leaguewide. The 34-year-old interviewed for the Utah Jazz head coaching position before Danny Ainge and company ultimately chose another Celtics assistant, Will Hardy.
Regardless of what Udoka or the Celtics decide, one thing is clear: Boston is in a very tough spot as it begins its defense of the Eastern Conference title in just one month.
