For much of 2022, Ime Udoka was making the headlines for all the right reasons. He had masterminded a turnaround for the ages in his first season as head coach as he led the Boston Celtics to their first NBA Finals since 2010 despite a terrible start to the season.
It seemed like the Celtics were set at the position for the years to come, but everything fell apart in disastrous fashion. Udoka was handed a season-long suspension by the Celtics a few months back for improper conduct, as he reportedly violated team guidelines by entering into an improper relationship with a female staffer on the team.
Marc Stein Says Ime Udoka Had To Forfeit Half Of His $4 Million Salary
We still don’t know everything regarding the situation, but more details are emerging as time goes by. NBA insider Marc Stein recently revealed on his Substack that Udoka had to forfeit half of his $4 million salary as part of his suspension. That is a big dent in his wallet, although he still got the $2 million, so no one is particularly feeling too sorry for him.
He also seemed to be at the front of the line to be the new head coach for the Nets after they parted ways with Steve Nash, but some roadblocks have emerged on that front. Stein reported that Nets owner Joe Tsai is being urged to avoid hiring Udoka by some “strong voices.” There was also a report that NBA commissioner Adam Silver might have stepped in to stop the Nets from hiring Udoka.
It doesn’t seem like a great idea to add Udoka into an already volatile situation considering the baggage that he clearly brings with him. You also have to wonder about the kind of message it sends to the women in the Nets organization, that they’re jumping at the chance to get him onboard despite some clear red flags. It would seem that the top brass at the Nets isn’t alone in wanting to hire Udoka, though, as Stein also reported that he is Kevin Durant’s preferred choice for the role. So, the Nets clearly want him, but they might be forced to look elsewhere because of the potential block back. We’ll find out soon enough what direction they plan to go in.
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