The Houston Rockets didn’t waste much time in finding their new head coach after firing Stephen Silas at the end of the regular season. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Ime Udoka will serve as Silas’ replacement after agreeing to a deal with the Rockets on Monday.
The Rockets moved on from Silas after finishing the 2022-23 campaign with a 22-60 record. The team hopes Udoka can change their fortunes and kickstart the transition from a rebuilding team to a contender in the Western Conference.
Udoka previously served as a head coach with the Boston Celtics in 2021-22, leading the team to an NBA Finals appearance. He was suspended by the Celtics before this past season started for inappropriate behavior.
The suspension didn’t seem to hamper Udoka’s chances of landing a new head coaching job. He received interest from the Brooklyn Nets after they fired Steve Nash and was considered the favorite for the Toronto Raptors’ job. But Udoka was excited to work with the young Rockets team that has plenty of talent, salary cap space, and chance of landing a high pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.
The Rockets reportedly looked into several other candidates, including ex-Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel and former Charlotte Hornets head coach James Borrego. However, they favored Udoka all along, believing he could take command of the locker room and bring out the best of the inexperienced roster.
