On Tuesday, September 21st, the NBA community was shaken up by the shocking news coming out of Boston. Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Ime Udoka would likely miss the 2022-2023 season due to a suspension. At first, the reports were vague as they contained limited information. Days later, Wojnarowski reported that Ime Udoka had a consensual relationship with multiple female staff members on the Celtics staff. There’s still not a lot of clarity about the situation. A full story has yet to come out. At this time, it seems, for the sake of everyone involved, the Celtics would like to keep it that way. It will be some time before anyone hears the full story of what happened within the Celtics organization. The Celtic's season will undeniably be affected by the recent events.
This past season, Ime Udoka was successful by all metrics in his first season as the coach. The Celtics finished second in defensive rating and eighth in offense rating. They were great on both sides of the ball. It started with a defensive commitment. They were sharp and on a string as a team. They also seemed to have found a good flow offensively. There was a hierarchy on the offensive end that led to a structured offense. It was a change from the equal opportunity free for all they had in the past. They understood Jason Tatum was their guy and allowed him to be that guy. Everyone else fell in line and it allowed for a better-flowing offensive system. The Celtics got better as a team as the season went along. Though they didn’t win in the finals, Udoka left his mark on the team by cultivating a new culture with the team.
This upcoming season will be a challenge for the Celtics. Their new coach, Joe Mazzulla, does not have any NBA head coaching experience. He will implement philosophies and schemes that Udoka didn’t. He will have his vision of what he wants the team to be. It may be difficult for the team to adjust as they were close to the championship last season. They may not need much adjusting.
This season will be much different with the improvements made by several teams in the eastern conference. The Celtics will face stiffer competition and need to be a much more improved team this year to get to the finals this season.
The Ime Udoka situation has been difficult for all parties involved. It’s sad to hear the details that have come out thus far. The Celtics will have to figure things out quickly. Fortunately, they are a seasoned team whose core has been together for a few years. They will have to build on what they did last year and find new contributions from others on the team this upcoming season.
Where Ime Udoka goes from here is hard to say. With a one-year suspension, there’s no telling which direction things may go. He may not coach again for the Celtics, which wouldn’t be a surprise. It’s sad to see him fall so quickly, but the team will have no time to feel sorry for themselves. They will have to figure things out quickly.