The Boston Celtics and Ime Udoka got into a bit of a messy situation. The coach was fresh off leading the team to the NBA Finals for the first time in over a decade, but his actions broke the organization's code of conduct.
Some were quite shocked to know that the Celtics had decided to suspend Udoka for an entire season. On the one hand, Udoka's actions had to be quite serious for them to do that. But if so, why not cut ties with him altogether?
The Celtics could've just fired Udoka and moved on with it. Instead, they left the door open for a potential return once the dust settled. Notably, Stephen A. Smith believes it all has to do with the Brooklyn Nets.
NBA Rumors: Celtics Didn't Want Nets To Hire Ime Udoka
“I believe part of the reason he was suspended, but not fired, is because the Boston Celtics did not want him to end up in Brooklyn," Smith said. "I believe that Ime Udoka, had he gotten fired, with all the stuff that happened — remember, the operative words were ‘consensual relationship, violation of organization policy!’ So because it’s that, it’s about your behavior, which we don’t endorse, as opposed to a crime."
"And because there was nothing that was put out there that said it was a crime, I believe that if Ime Udoka had been fired by the Boston Celtics, the Brooklyn Nets would’ve fired Steve Nash and brought that brother back and he would be the coach for the Brooklyn Nets right now," Smith continued. "That’s how emphatic I feel about this.”
This theory actually makes plenty of sense. Udoka was an assistant in Brooklyn, and he's reportedly very close to Kevin Durant. Durant and Kyrie Irving don't like Steve Nash, and they had already forced the team to fire Kenny Atkinson.
Still, some doubt that Udoka will ever get another shot at a coaching gig in the league, as there's allegedly more to it than what came to light. But whatever the case, the Celtics just couldn't take any chances. It's the game within the game.
