Woj: NBA Didn't Find Evidence 'Disqualifying' Ime Udoka From Taking Rockets HC Job

The NBA didn't discover anything "disqualifying" Ime Udoka from getting another head coaching job before he reportedly agreed to a deal with the Houston Rockets, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Wojnarowski said the NBA league office read the independent report the Celtics commissioned after Udoka was investigated for having an improper relationship with a woman in the Boston organization. The Rockets also "talked to a lot of people who've worked with him, who've known him, who vouched for him through the years at different organizations."

The Celtics announced in September they were suspending Udoka for the 2022-23 NBA season due to "multiple violations of team policies." They subsequently moved on from the 45-year-old altogether when they removed the interim tag from Joe Mazzulla in February.

Fans have been left to wonder about the specific circumstances surrounding Udoka's suspension.

The Athletic's Shams Charania reported Udoka had an "intimate relationship" with a woman coworker, which team officials first discovered in July.

"At that time, team leadership was led to believe by both parties that the relationship was consensual," Charania wrote. "But sources said that the woman recently accused Udoka of making unwanted comments toward her — leading the team to launch a set of internal interviews."

Wojnarowski followed up to report the investigation determined Udoka "used crude language in his dialogue with a female subordinate prior to the start of an improper workplace relationship with the woman."

The law firm that conducted the inquiry also expressed concerns with the power dynamic at play since Udoka was such an influential member of the organization.

Months before he accepted the Rockets' offer, the Brooklyn Nets were linked with Udoka after they fired Steve Nash. They quickly backed off, with his suspension reportedly a factor behind that decision.

It was safe to assume the NBA either signed off on Houston's pursuit or didn't see a need to intervene when Udoka was floated as a candidate. Still, his suspension figures to be a prominent topic during his introductory press conference with the Rockets.