Getty Head coach Doc Rivers of the Philadelphia 76ers
After promoting Joe Mazzulla from interim head coach to head coach, the Boston Celtics have cut ties with Ime Udoka. With him now on the market, it appears the Philadelphia 76ers are among the teams interested in hiring Udoka.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson of Bally Sports reported that the Sixers are among the teams interested in Udoka.
“Ime Udoka has been a hot topic of conversation in coaching circles per sources with teams like the Hawks, Wizards, Knicks, Rockets, 76ers mentioned,” Robinson said via Twitter. Robinson went on to post the odds of Udoka’s next team, though the Sixers were not mentioned.
Ime Udoka has been a hot topic of conversation in coaching circles per sources with teams like the Hawks, Wizards, Knicks, Rockets, 76ers mentioned.
Odds of his next stop via @BovadaOfficial:
Bulls +450
Hawks +225
Rockets +600
Spurs +1000
Hornets +450
Udoka has experience coaching the Sixers, having been one of their assistants during the 2019-2020 season. Udoka got himself into some very hot water that led to his eventual firing by the Celtics, which could very well mean he never gets another coaching gig. However, his methods as head coach brought results, as the Celtics made their first NBA Finals since 2010 with him calling the shots from the sidelines.
For Udoka to be an option for the Sixers, they would have to get rid of Doc Rivers as their head coach first, and there’s no telling if that is the route they will go.
Ex-NBA Player Believes Rivers Could Get Fired
On the February 15 episode of “NBA Countdown,” analysts on the show which team was in dire need of winning the NBA Finals. Former NBA player Jalen Rose explained why his pick was the Sixers, saying that if they don’t win, changes may have to be made, including firing Rivers.
“‘Dire need’ is the Philadelphia 76ers,” Rose said. “Because if they don’t make the Conference Finals, the NBA Finals, and possibly win it all, guess what might happen? They’re probably going to change their General Manager in Daryl Morey, they’re probably going to fire their coach in Doc Rivers, and James Harden may actually leave.”
While Rivers has an NBA title on his coaching resume, he has failed to reach the conference finals as a coach since 2012, which, coincidentally, was with the Celtics. While Rivers has helped the Sixers reach the no. 1 seed in 2021, he has failed to push them any further than Brett Brown did, having made two consecutive Eastern Conference semifinals since taking over as head coach in 2020.
If Rivers can’t push the Sixers over that hump, that could put his job in jeopardy.
Udoka Was Almost Hired By Nets
After the Celtics suspended Udoka, the Brooklyn Nets were close to hiring him as their next head coach after the team had fired Steve Nash.
The Nets ultimately decided against Udoka, opting to promote Jacque Vaughn as their head coach. On November 6, 2022, Marc Stein reported on his Substack that owner Joe Tsai had been urged not to hire Udoka. However, part of that was due to the controversy surrounding former Nets guard Kyrie Irving’s suspension after posting a link to an antisemitic film around that same time.
“League sources say there have been some ‘strong voices’ urging Joe Tsai to back off the Nets’ intent to hire suspended Celtics coach Ime Udoka as Steve Nash’s successor given the considerable turmoil Brooklyn has already faced this season,” Stein said.
League sources say there have been some “strong voices” urging Joe Tsai to back off the Nets’ intent to hire suspended Celtics coach Ime Udoka as Steve Nash’s successor given the considerable turmoil Brooklyn has already faced this season.
More to come: t.co/LGN9cVpMwn
Despite the controversy that’s surrounded him following his suspension by the Celtics, Udoka has at the very least attracted other interested suitors since then. If the Sixers wind up firing Rivers, they could entertain the possibility of replacing him with Udoka knowing both his familiarity with the team and his previous success.