Ime Udoka a candidate for Rockets, Pistons head coach jobs

Ime Udoka, suspended by the Celtics for the entire 2022-23 season for having an affair with a married staff member, has been named a possible head coaching candidate for vacancies with the Rockets and Pistons, according to ESPN.

The Athletic also reported that Udoka, the former Boston head coach, will likely be one of approximately eight candidates Houston will consider after parting ways with Stephen Silas on Sunday.

ESPN reported Sunday that the Rockets declined to pick up Silas’ fourth-year option. Dwane Casey stepped down as Pistons coach after five seasons and a 17-65 campaign this year.

Udoka’s future with the Celtics — already in question with the suspension — became clearer when the organization removed the interim label from Joe Mazzulla, who replaced Udoka after the alleged code of conduct violation — that included sending inappropriate text messages and a “volume of violations” — and suspension, in February.

When Udoka was suspended by the Celtics in September, the organization said in a statement that his future with the team would be determined “at a later date.”

Udoka emerged as an candidate for the Nets opening when Brooklyn fired Steve Nash earlier this season, but backlash followed and the team opted to instead hire Jacque Vaughn by removing his interim label.

Udoka’s coaching career began as an assistant in San Antonio, where he spent seven years on Gregg Popovich’s staff before adding a year with the 76ers and a year with the Nets.

Then, ahead of the 2021-22 season, the Celtics hired Udoka, and he guided them to the NBA Finals in his first year as a head coach.

But by the end of September, just three months after the Celtics lost to the Warriors, Udoka had been suspended.

He had been in a relationship with actress Nia Long since 2010, but after the alleged affair, People reported in December that the pair broke up after 13 years, and one son, together.

With Udoka suspended this year, Mazzulla led the Celtics to the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, and they’ll face the team that emerges as the No. 7 seed from the play-in tournament.