The biggest name on the NBA head coaching market is off the board, with the news that the Rockets are hiring Ime Udoka. The former Celtics head coach, who took Boston to the NBA Finals last season, was suspended for this season and ultimately fired by the Celtics for violating team policies by engaging in an improper relationship with a female staff member.
But Udoka has been cleared to coach again in the NBA, where he will take over a rebuilding team in Houston. He could have taken over a rebuilding team in Detroit, but Troy Weaver and the Pistons never reportedly expressed interest in interviewing him.
Will they regret that decision?
"I think it’s quite possible," says Gator. "Both teams have a lot of young talent at this point, but there’s a reason he’s available. The behind-the-scenes stuff in Boston that got him fired, you gotta do your due diligence on that. Maybe the Pistons did and just said, 'We’re not going to bother with the interview.' Or they said, 'We can afford to wait,' because maybe they thought he’s not going to take a job before the draft lottery. But he did. What I do know is, just on paper, this guy is a hell of a coach. And it feels like we could be doing some rueing that he’s not here."
"I wonder what (the Pistons') background checks told them about the more-to-the-story of his indiscretions that cost him the Boston job," says Karsch. "It seems like this would be an attractive job, given the current roster and what could happen in the draft lottery."
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Tuesday that after the NBA reviewed the investigation into Udoka, "there was nothing the league office was telling the Rockets that precluded Houston or any other team from hiring Udoka. There was nothing that they found to be disqualifying to work again in the NBA."
He added that the Rockets "met with Udoka in person, spent time with him, talked to a lot of people who've worked with him, who’ve known him, who've vouched for him through the years at different organization, and came to the decision that they would be willing to offer him their head coaching job and make a a significant commitment to him contractually."
Weaver and the Pistons, meanwhile, are reportedly zeroing in on three main targets: Bucks assistant Charles Lee, Pelicans assistant Jarron Collins and ex-UConn head coach and head of coaching and basketball development for Overtime Elite Kevin Ollie. All three are slated to have second interviews with the Pistons this week.
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