NBA Rumors: Ime Udoka Expected to Be 'Strong Candidate' for Offseason HC Openings

With the Boston Celtics announcing they have removed the interim tag and named Joe Mazzulla their full-time head coach going forward, Ime Udoka will be able to pursue new jobs.

Per Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix, Udoka is expected to be a "strong candidate" for teams seeking a new head coach during the offseason.

Mannix added that Udoka is no longer employed by the Celtics in any capacity.

Mazzulla was named interim head coach by the Celtics on Sept. 22 after Udoka was suspended by the team for the 2022-23 season.

The Celtics said in an official statement at the time that Udoka's suspension was for "violations of team policies."

Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim Bontemps, an independent law firm hired by the Celtics to investigate the situation found Udoka "used crude language in his dialogue with a female subordinate prior to the start of an improper workplace relationship" with the woman.

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium noted that some members of the Celtics organization became aware of the relationship between Udoka and the female staffer in July and believed it to be consensual, but she accused him of making "unwanted comments" toward her that led to the team conducting internal interviews.

Wojnarowski noted the Celtics wouldn't stand in the way of Udoka pursuing head-coaching opportunities elsewhere while he was still under contract and serving his suspension.

When Steve Nash parted ways with the Brooklyn Nets on Nov. 1, Wojnarowski reported the team was finalizing a deal with Udoka and a formal announcement was expected soon.

The Nets pivoted to Jacque Vaughn, who served as acting head coach for four games, as their permanent replacement for Nash on Nov. 9.

Charania and The Athletic reported "several factors," including their own due diligence process taking longer than expected and outcry from people within and outside the organization, resulted in the Nets passing on Udoka to hire Vaughn.

Udoka spent nine seasons as an assistant coach with three different teams from 2012 to '21. The Celtics named Udoka as their head coach in June 2021 after Brad Stevens was promoted to president of basketball operations.