Getty Head coach Ime Udoka of the Boston Celtics looks on.
For the time being, Boston Celtics Head Coach Ime Udoka has been suspended for the 2022-23 season. Not many details are known regarding what exactly happened. However, those who are in the know have gone on the record saying that from what they’ve been told, it’s bad. That includes former NBA player Matt Barnes.
Barnes, who has transitioned to a media career following his last year in the NBA in 2017, revealed in an interview with the YouTube Channel DJVlad what he thinks holds for Udoka’s future should the details regarding what he did be revealed to the public.
“If everything comes out, he’ll be lucky if he coaches in the NBA again, to be honest with you,” Barnes said. “I think it’s pretty heavy, man. There’s just some stuff you can’t do. There’s some stuff you can do, so it’s just like… not judging, to each his own. I’ve made plenty of mistakes, but if everything comes out, it could get extra hot in the kitchen for him.”
Barnes, who played for the Los Angeles Lakers from 2010 to 2012, hosts the show “All the Smoke” with former Golden State Warriors teammate Stephen Jackson where they talk to various NBA players.
Regardless of what exactly he knows, when the Celtics announced that they had suspended Udoka for the season, they also made it clear that his long-term future with the team will be decided at a later date.
Celtics Seeked Permission to Interview Former Assistant
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Celtics seeked permission to interview former assistant Jay Larranaga, who left the team for the Los Angeles Clippers shortly after Udoka replaced Brad Stevens as Head Coach.
The Celtics are seeking permission to talk to Clippers assistant Jay Larranaga about joining interim coach Joe Mazzulla’s staff this season, sources tell ESPN. Larranaga spent nine seasons with Celtics before joining the Clippers in 2021.
Larranaga was an assistant on the team from 2012 to 2021. In that time, the Celtics made three Eastern Conference Finals. Andrew Greif of the LA Times reported that the Clippers had granted the Celtics permission to interview Larranaga.
After the news came out about the Celtics pursuing Larranaga, Adam Kaufman of WBZ News Radio relayed that the Celtics potentially bringing him back may signal that Udoka’s time with the team is done, knowing that Larranaga left upon Udoka’s hiring.
Most (including me) believe Ime Udoka’s tenure with the #Celtics is over. But, if you disagree, Boston’s reported pursuit of Jay Larranaga may persuade you to believe, considering Larranaga and the C’s parted ways upon Udoka’s arrival. He wouldn’t wish to leave LA for one year.
Larranaga was photographed working with Clippers players during their training camp on September 28.
Coach Jay Larranaga and Moses Brown
Larranaga Staying With Clippers
According to Chris Mannix of NBC Sports Boston, Larranaga intends to remain with the Clippers after speaking with the Celtics.
Jay Larranaga will remain on Ty Lue’s staff with the Clippers, sources told @SInow. Boston received permission this week to speak to Larranaga. Larranaga, a valued member of Lue’s staff, prefers to remain in Los Angeles.
Before Mannix reported that Larranaga was staying with the Clippers, he was asked about why the Celtics were looking into bringing him back.
“It’s more about studying our environment and figuring out what we need to help our staff, and not just considering myself, but considering what do our players need? What are they familiar with, and what are they looking for on our staff? I think we’re going to evaluate that and figure out where we are.”
“It’s more about studying our environment and figuring out what we need… and not just considering myself, but considering what do our players need.”
Joe Mazzulla responds to reports that the Celtics are interested in bringing back former assistant coach Jay Larranaga 🍀
Mazzulla was hired by the Celtics as an assistant in 2019, so he and Larranaga spent two years together on the bench during the Brad Stevens days. For the time being, Larranaga is staying where he is and may never come back to the Celtics, but their interest in bringing him back could very well mean Udoka’s time in Boston is finished.