Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka reportedly faces a severe suspension for an “improper intimate and consensual relationship with a female member of the team staff.”
While no final decision on the length of the suspension has been made, “internal discussions have included scenarios that would keep Udoka out for the entirety of the 2022-2023 season,” according to ESPN sources.
Even if the suspension isn’t for an entire season, it’s likely Udoka will miss significant time, which means that the Celtics will need to find a suitable replacement if their championship aspirations are going to be met.
ESPN’s venerable reporter Adrian Wojnarowski took to the SportsCenter airwaves following his bombshell report to discuss potential interim replacements for Udoka as the organization discusses “what that suspension might look like.”
Here's the full Woj segment on SportsCenter talking about the Ime Udoka/Celtics situation… He said it's not a league issue and we could possibly learn about the length of the suspension in the next 24-48 hours. pic.twitter.com/Z09oAMOnrF
— 𝗙𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗢𝗪 @𝗙𝗧𝗕𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱𝟳 (@FTBeard7) September 22, 2022
Celtics assistant coach Joe Mazzulla was the first name named by the ESPN reporter.
“Joe Mazzulla moved up on the Celtics’ bench … certainly think that’s a name that could be a possibility to become essentially Ime’s replace for as long as he is out with the suspension,” Wojnarowski said.
Wojnarowski predicted we would know the length of Udoka’s suspension within “24 to 48 hours.”
The Boston Celtics tip off their preseason on Oct. 2nd when they host the Charlotte Hornets.
[FT Beard]
