Ime Udoka has been one of the biggest stories in the entire NBA over the past month. As many of you remember, it was revealed that Udoka had cheated on Nia Long with an employee of the Celtics. His transgressions led to a hefty one-year suspension that shocked the NBA.
Since that time, the Celtics have been playing well under Joe Mazzulla. The Celtics look like a team that has made huge strides, and it's clear that Udoka probably won't be needed in the future. That said, one team is eager to welcome Udoka to their franchise.
Of course, that team is the Brooklyn Nets, who fired Steve Nash yesterday. Immediately after making this decision, the Nets made it clear that they had every intention of hiring Udoka. The coach is still technically employed by the Celtics, but Boston has essentially said they will let Udoka go to explore other opportunities.
In a report from Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe, a case was made for why the Celtics were eager to give up on Udoka. Simply put, it all has to do with how well Mazzulla has done. If the Celtics weren't responding to him, Udoka would probably return at the end of the year. Since that's not the case, Udoka is free to leave.
"The Celtics, according to an NBA source, are willing to allow Udoka to coach for another team without compensation," Washburn wrote. "That’s how much they’re ready to move on from this situation. Privately, they have been pleased with the progress of the franchise and the team under Joe Mazzulla’s leadership and are hoping to strip the interim tag in the coming months."
There is no timetable for Udoka joining the Nets, although it should happen fairly soon. The Nets have jumped out to a 2-6 record, and they could use him now more than ever.
Stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the league.
[Via]
