The Houston Rockets plan to hire Ime Udoka, the former Boston Celtics coach who was suspended for workplace misconduct, according to a person who was familiar with the discussions but not authorized to discuss them publicly.
The news was first reported by ESPN.
The Celtics abruptly suspended Udoka for the season in late September after an investigation into his conduct by an independent law firm. According to two people with knowledge of the situation, Udoka had a relationship with a female subordinate. The Celtics have declined to release details about Udoka’s conduct, other than to say that he had violated “multiple” team policies. In February, the Celtics fired Udoka, one of the people said.
Udoka had taken the Celtics to the N.B.A. finals last season in his first year as a head coach, after spending nine years as an assistant.
Since his suspension, Udoka has been linked with several teams for potential head coach openings. In particular, reports that Udoka was a front-runner for the Nets job surfaced within hours of Steve Nash’s dismissal as Nets coach in November. Udoka had been a Nets assistant in the 2020-21 season.
“Whenever you’re bringing anybody in here, it doesn’t matter if it’s a new head coach or whether it’s an intern, it doesn’t matter, you’re doing your due diligence on everybody’s background,” Nets General Manager Sean Marks said at a news conference at the time. “You’re looking at past relationships, prior relationships, current relationships, you name it, to make sure that you’re bringing in the right people at the right time for the right job.”
The Nets hired Jacque Vaughn, one of Nash’s assistants, as their coach.
The Rockets were one of the worst teams in the N.B.A. this season at 22-60. In three seasons as Houston’s head coach, Stephen Silas went 59-177. On April 10, the Rockets declined his option for next season.
The Rockets have several talented young players, including Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green. In addition, the Rockets are projected to have enough cap space to sign at least one star to a maximum contract this summer, and they have a bevy of future draft picks. Two of those picks will be in the upcoming N.B.A. draft, and one of them may land Victor Wembanyama, the highly touted French prospect.
