Interest in former Boston Celtics HC ‘confirms’ Rockets goals
The Houston Rockets’ reported interest in suspended and fired former Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka “confirms” the franchise’s goals this offseason — this at least according to the Houston Chronicle’s Michael Shapiro.
“Former Celtics coach Ime Udoka is slated to meet with Houston’s brass on Wednesday, according to The Athletic’s Kelly Iko, and his arrival further confirms the goal outlined by general manager Rafael Stone at his end-of-season press conference: as the Rockets desperately look to kickstart their rebuild, they want a coach with proven chops at the end of the bench,” Shapiro wrote.
The Chronicle writer then broke down why Udoka fits that bill.
“Udoka fits the above description despite just one year of head coaching experience,” Shapiro prefaced before saying, “He served as an assistant to Gregg Popovich for nearly a decade before arriving in Boston before the 2021-22 season, and he then led the Celtics to the franchise’s first Finals appearance since 2010. Udoka inherited a talented roster when he entered the role in Boston. But this isn’t a situation in which he was simply along for the ride. Udoka is in-part credited with driving a midseason turnaround, in which the Celtics went from under .500 in January to the Eastern Conference crown months later.”
‘Little guarantee’ Ime Udoka gets hired due to Boston Celtics firing
Shapiro believes Udoka’s controversial Boston Celtics oustering will ultimately set the 45-year-old’s desire to return to coaching via the Rockets back — claiming that there is “little guarantee” Udoka will get the job given the sheer number of candidates.
“There is little guarantee Udoka is the next Rockets’ coach given the wealth of candidates at Stone’s disposal, and moreover, Udoka’s candidacy could be clouded to a degree by his dismissal from Boston, in which he was given a one-year suspension following an improper relationship with a female staffer,” Shapiro wrote.
Shapiro did concede that interviewing him is “sensible,” though.
“We won’t look to discern whether such a situation will dissuade Houston’s ownership,” Shapiro wrote. “From a basketball perspective, Udoka’s interview is certainly sensible.”