Ime Udoka can possible be scratched off the shortlist of Knicks teaching candidates.
The pinnacle coach of the Rockets is beneath contract till 2027, that means Houston must grant permission only for the Knicks to interview him.
And the Knicks would then have to barter compensation to the Rockets to pry their coach away from them.
The Rockets have “no real interest in entertaining that,” in keeping with The Athletic.
The Knicks fired coach Tom Thibodeau after they had been eradicated within the Japanese Convention Finals in six video games by the Pacers.
Thibodeau had been in cost for 5 years, main the Knicks to the postseason in 4 of these seasons.
“Our group is singularly targeted on successful a championship for our followers,” Knicks president Leon Rose mentioned in a press release. “This pursuit has led us to the tough choice to tell Tom Thibodeau that we’ve determined to maneuver in one other path. We will’t thank Tom sufficient for pouring his coronary heart and soul into every day of being the New York Knicks head coach. He led us not solely with class and professionalism for the previous 5 seasons, but additionally large success on the courtroom with 4 playoff berths and 4 playoff sequence victories.
“In the end, we made the choice we really feel is finest for our group shifting ahead. Tom will at all times be a part of our Knicks household and we really want him nothing however the perfect sooner or later.”
Udoka, regardless of off-court controversies, is taken into account among the best coaches within the NBA.
He led the Celtics to an NBA Finals look in his first season in Boston earlier than shedding to the Warriors in six video games.
However his Celtics tenure lasted only one yr, as he was suspended and subsequently fired for an alleged improper relationship with a feminine staffer.
He has served because the Rockets’ head coach for the previous two seasons, main a shocking turnaround for the franchise.
They recorded a 52-30 file this yr, ending second within the Western Convention earlier than shedding to the Warriors within the first spherical of the playoffs.
The Rockets went 41-41 in his first yr with the workforce.
Within the 4 seasons previous to Udoka taking on, the Rockets didn’t win greater than 22 video games.
