Ime Udoka Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Scotto’s Latest: Thunder, Pacers, Kings, Barrett, Rockets, Wolves, KD

June 23rd, 2025 at 4:09pm CST by Luke Adams

Their seasons ended less than 24 hours ago, but the Thunder and Pacers will have significant roster decisions to make in the coming days, and executives around the NBA are keeping an eye on both teams to see how they’ll handle them, writes Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

The Thunder have the ability to essentially run it back with their same roster, since 13 of their players are on guaranteed deals for next season, while the team holds cost-effective options on the other two. However, Oklahoma City also has multiple first-round picks at No. 15 and No. 24 and could be facing a roster crunch.

According to Scotto, rival executives believe the Thunder may either trade the No. 24 pick for a future first-rounder or use it to select a potential draft-and-stash prospect like Hugo Gonzalez or Noah Penda. Execs also view former lottery pick Ousmane Dieng as a possible trade candidate as he enters the final year of his rookie scale contract, Scotto notes.

Meanwhile, with Tyrese Haliburton potentially sidelined for all of the 2025/26 season after tearing his Achilles, people in league circles are wondering if the Pacers and team owner Herb Simon are still prepared to go into luxury-tax territory in 2025/26 to re-sign Myles Turner and keep their roster intact, says Scotto. There’s an expectation that rivals will inquire this summer on the trade availability of role players like Bennedict Mathurin, Obi Toppin, and Jarace Walker, Scotto adds.

Here’s more from Scotto:

Although a Sacramento Bee report over the weekend indicated that the Kings haven’t yet engaged in trade discussions about Malik Monk, Scotto hears from sources that the team has gauged the market on both Monk and Devin Carter as it seeks a potential first-round pick and a point guard upgrade. Sacramento was unwilling to move Carter when the club talked to the Nets about Cameron Johnson prior to the trade deadline, Scotto writes, but Scott Perry has replaced Monte McNair as the Kings’ head of basketball operations since then and may not be as attached to last year’s No. 13 overall pick.
According to Scotto, the Raptors have continued to gauge the trade market for forward RJ Barrett. The former No. 3 overall pick hasn’t come off the bench since his rookie year in 2019/20, but could be the odd man out of Toronto’s starting five with Brandon Ingram set to make his Raptors debut this fall.
Rockets head coach Ime Udoka, who spent a season with Kevin Durant in Brooklyn, was in favor of the Celtics trading for Durant during his time in Boston and advocated for Houston to acquire the star forward this summer, per Scotto. In addition to reuniting with Udoka, Durant will be teaming up again with friend and fellow Texas alum Royal Ivey — the Rockets assistant interviewed for the Suns‘ head coaching vacancy and turned down interest from the Grizzlies and Spurs for assistant coaching positions, Scotto reports.
In addition to being concerned about Durant’s lack of enthusiasm for Minnesota, the Timberwolves didn’t want to lose Rudy Gobert, a Suns target in trade talks, which is why the Wolves didn’t end up beating Houston’s offer for the 15-time All-Star, Scotto explains. Giving up Gobert and potentially having Durant play alongside Julius Randle in their frontcourt wasn’t considered an “ideal pairing defensively” for the Wolves, Scotto writes.

Lottery Pick Facilitated Durant Trade

June 22nd, 2025 at 8:32pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Rockets’ willingness to give up their lottery pick in this week’s draft played a significant role in the agreed-upon Kevin Durant blockbuster with the Suns, Kelly Iko and Sam Amick report.

The Rockets refused to give the Suns’ 2027 and 2029 first-round selections, which Houston controls via prior trades, back to Phoenix. Those picks were sent to Brooklyn in the February 2023 Durant deal and the Rockets acquired them in a June 2024 deal with the Nets.

However, the Rockets had found it difficult to bring in top prospects for workouts this spring due to the possibility of a Durant deal. The Suns believe they can draft a player at that spot who can be an immediate contributor.

The trade between the clubs was the culmination of weeks-long discussions, though the two sides hadn’t talked for a week before the conversations were reignited on Thursday. Rockets general manager Rafael Stone refused to part with most of his young players, including Reed Sheppard, Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason. Efforts were made to add other trade partners to the mix but that didn’t gain any footing, so it became a straight two-team swap.

Jalen Green, who struggled in the postseason, became increasingly aware he could be part of a potential package, even though he preferred to stay put. He received word that he was being dealt approximately an hour before the deal was first reported.

According to Phoenix sports talk show host John Gambadoro, the Rockets were willing to give up Smith prior to the February trade deadline. They offered Smith and Green without any draft picks for Durant at that time (Twitter link).

While there were numerous reports in recent months that the Rockets were unwilling to break up their young core, they eventually warmed to the idea of making an all-in move. The prospect of adding a dynamic scorer and proven postseason performer like Durant was seen as their best win-now option, according to The Athletic duo. There’s a strong belief that the Durant-Rockets partnership will extend beyond next season, even if he doesn’t sign an extension right away next month.

Houston head coach Ime Udoka, who recently received an extension, was a strong behind-the-scenes advocate for adding Durant, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack post. Udoka, who overlapped with Durant in Brooklyn, has a close friendship with the star forward.

With both Green and Dillon Brooks included in the trade, a starting spot should open up in Houston for Smith, who was moved to the second unit for a portion of the season. Amen Thompson, who replaced Smith in the lineup, will join Fred VanVleet in the backcourt. The Rockets hold a $44.9MM option on VanVleet’s contract, with a decision due in the next week.

Durant expressed excitement when asked by Kay Adams at Fanatics Fest in New York about the trade, ESPN’s Shams Charania relays.

“Being part of the Houston Rockets, I’m looking forward to it,” Durant said. “Crazy, crazy last couple weeks, but I’m glad it’s over with.”

Rockets To Sign Coach Ime Udoka To Contract Extension

June 19th, 2025 at 11:27am CST by Rory Maher

Head coach Ime Udoka has agreed to a long-term extension with the Rockets, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN.

According to Charania, Udoka’s new extension will make him one of the highest-paid coaches in the NBA. Kelly Iko of The Athletic confirms (via Twitter) that Udoka has agreed to a multiyear deal.

A former NBA wing, Udoka has led Houston to a dramatic turnaround over the past two seasons. The team won just 17, 20 and 22 games in the three years prior to Udoka’s arrival in 2023, but in 2023/24 — his first season at the helm — he guided the club to a .500 record (41-41).

That upward trajectory continued this season, as the Rockets went 52-30 and earned the No. 2 seed in a highly competitive Western Conference. The young team was eliminated from the playoffs in the first round, losing to Golden State in seven games.

After retiring as a player, Udoka spent seven years an assistant with San Antonio before one-year stints in Philadelphia and Brooklyn. He was hired as Boston’s head coach in 2021 and had an impressive first season in ’21/22, with the Celtics going 51-31 and advancing to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010, eventually losing to the Warriors in six games.

While he was technically still under contract with the Celtics in ’22/23, Udoka didn’t coach at all, having been suspended for the entire season for violating team policies — he reportedly had an affair with a member of the team’s staff.

The 47-year-old’s time with the Celtics ended in February 2023, when the team promoted Joe Mazzulla to be the permanent head coach. Udoka was hired by the Rockets a couple months later, signing a four-year contract at that time.

The Knicks reportedly asked the Rockets for permission to interview Udoka for their head coaching vacancy last week, but that request was was denied. Now, Udoka has agreed to a long-term extension to remain with Houston.

Knicks Denied Permission To Speak To Udoka, Finch, Kidd

June 11th, 2025 at 8:30am CST by Luke Adams

8:30 am: The Knicks asked for the Mavericks’ permission to speak to Kidd and, as expected, were turned down by Dallas as well, according to Stein (Twitter link).

For what it’s worth, Steve Popper of Newsday (Twitter link) has heard that some people in the Knicks’ organization believe the “first no” from the Mavs doesn’t necessarily spell the end of New York’s pursuit of Kidd.

7:56 am: The Knicks formally requested permission to speak to Rockets head coach Ime Udoka and Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch, but were denied on both counts, according to reports.

Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link) first reported that the Knicks’ request to Houston had been turned down, while longtime New York radio and podcast host Mike Francesa (Twitter link) was first to say that the Timberwolves declined the Knicks’ request to speak to Finch. Shams Charania of ESPN subsequently confirmed both reports.

Marc Stein wrote last week that the Knicks had interest in Udoka but would almost certainly be rebuffed by the Rockets if they sought permission to talk to him. New York’s interest in Finch was initially reported last week by Begley.

Udoka, who was hired by the Rockets following three straight seasons of 22 or fewer wins, has helped turn things around in Houston, leading the team to a 41-41 record last season and a 52-30 mark – along with the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference – this past year. Finch, meanwhile, has guided the Timberwolves to back-to-back appearances in the Western Conference Finals.

Neither team was likely to be enthusiastic about letting the Knicks poach a successful head coach who remains under contract.

It sounds like that will likely be the case for the Mavericks as well, as multiple reports have suggested that Dallas is expected to spurn the Knicks’ advances if New York seeks permission to speak to Jason Kidd. Charania confirms as much, citing sources who say the Mavs would decline the Knicks’ request if it comes (it hadn’t as of Tuesday night).

Based on what we know, it has been an unusual coaching search so far for the Knicks, who have only really been linked to candidates who already have head coaching jobs. It remains possible the club will request permission to speak to other head coaches currently employed by NBA teams, Charania notes.

Among coaches who aren’t presently employed, Taylor Jenkins is one name that people around the league think the Knicks will consider, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Jenkins was let go by the Grizzlies prior to the end of the regular season.

The Knicks are seeking a replacement for Tom Thibodeau, who took out a full-page ad in the New York Times on Wednesday thanking the fans, his players, and his coaching staff for his experience in New York, as Steve Popper of Newsday relays (via Twitter).

“To the best city in the world with the best fans in the world: Thank you,” Thibodeau wrote. “When I was hired in 2020, I said this was my dream job. I am grateful that dreams became a reality. Thank you to our players and coaching staff who gave everything they had, and to everyone who makes this franchise special. I am proud of everything we accomplished together, including four playoff appearances and this year’s run to the Eastern Conference finals — our first in 25 years.

“And to the fans, thank you for believing in me and embracing me from day one. Watching you support our team, and seeing the Garden ignite with that incomparable Knicks energy, is something I will never forget.”

Knicks Coaching Notes: Thibodeau, R. Brunson, Udoka, Hurley

June 4th, 2025 at 7:00pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Despite enjoying the most successful tenure of any Knicks head coach this century by a mile, Tom Thibodeau was relieved of his duties following a six-game Eastern Conference Finals defeat by Indiana.

According to Ian Begley and Alex Smith of SNY.tv, Thibodeau will not be given a role in president Leon Rose‘s front office going forward. The three-year, $30MM contract extension he inked with the team last summer has yet to kick in, but the team will simply eat that money.

Thibodeau brought the Knicks to four playoff appearances during his five seasons in charge, posting a 226-174 regular season record and a 24-23 playoff record.

There’s more out of New York:

In another SNY.tv story, Begley says he doesn’t believe the Knicks’ next head coach will be made to hold onto assistant Rick Brunson. However, Begley wonders if firing Brunson – the father of Jalen Brunson – might get the new coach’s relationship with the team’s All-NBA point guard on the wrong foot. The elder Brunson worked under Thibodeau throughout Thibs’ stint with the team.
Although Rockets head coach Ime Udoka has been floated as a possible next Knicks coach, a team source confirms to The Athletic’s Kelly Iko (via Twitter) that Houston does not intend to make him available. That’s also what Marc Stein reported when he first identified Udoka as someone who would be of interest to the Knicks.
Two-time champion UConn coach Dan Hurley has indicated he has no interest in taking the Knicks gig, per Dom Amore of The Hartford Courant. “Not another summer of that,” Hurley said, alluding to the Lakers’ 2024 pursuit of his services. Sources tell Dan Burges of The New Haven Register that the Huskies aren’t seriously worried about the possibility that Hurley would leave.

Latest On Knicks’ Coaching Job

June 4th, 2025 at 10:21am CST by Dana Gauruder

While numerous rival NBA executives believed that the Knicks had a replacement lined up before firing Tom Thibodeau on Tuesday, that’s not the case, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack article.

The Knicks have fostered the notion that this decision was made by team president Leon Rose but many of the same executives are skeptical of that story, Stein says, considering Rose’s close ties to Thibodeau and the fact that Rose insisted on hiring him.

Meanwhile, numerous league observers acquainted with the inner workings of the Knicks organization believe owner James Dolan has been a “non-fan” of Thibodeau for a long time. Dolan reportedly sat in on post-season meetings with key players.

Two head coaches who are not currently available but said to interest the Knicks are the Mavericks‘ Jason Kidd and Rockets‘ Ime Udoka. However, Stein hears that Houston would deny any attempts by the Knicks to interview Udoka and the Mavs would likely do the same regarding Kidd, though he could not immediately confirm that.

Kidd, who played for the Knicks and interviewed for their head coaching job in 2020, has two seasons left on a contract extension he received during last season’s playoffs. He has also has close ties to Giannis Antetokounmpo, whom the Knicks are expected to pursue in trade talks if Milwaukee makes him available.

Among available coaches, former Villanova coach Jay Wright and Cavaliers assistant Johnnie Bryant — a finalist for Phoenix’s head coaching job — are presumed to be likely candidates. Wright has repeatedly said in the past he’s not interested in coaching in the NBA, though several of his former players are key players for the Knicks.

Here’s more on the Knicks coaching situation:

Numerous sources told Adam Zagoria (Twitter link) that it’s doubtful Wright would come out of retirement to coach the Knicks. Seth Davis, who has worked closely with Wright at CBS in recent years, is also extremely skeptical about the idea that Wright would want the job (Twitter link).
Their search will include college coaches and won’t be limited to current assistants or former NBA head coaches, Kris Pursiainen of Clutch Points tweets.
The Knicks better find their “Joe Torre,” who won multiple championship with the Yankees, Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post opines, arguing that the decision to dump Thibodeau makes no sense otherwise.
Stefan Bondy of the New York Post reiterates that he’s hearing former Nuggets coach Michael Malone is not a candidate.

Cavaliers’ Kenny Atkinson Named Coach Of Year

May 5th, 2025 at 5:36pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kenny Atkinson has been named the NBA’s Coach of the Year, the league announced on Monday (Twitter link).

In his first year with the Cavaliers, Atkinson led the franchise to a 64-18 record and the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Atkinson was hired by Cleveland after a three-year stint as one of Steve Kerr‘s top assistants with Golden State. Atkinson, who was also an assistant with three other NBA franchises, was Brooklyn’s head coach from 2016-20.

The Pistons‘ J.B. Bickerstaff and the Rockets’ Ime Udoka were the other finalists. Atkinson received 59 of the 100 first-place votes from the global media panel and accumulated 401 points in the voting. Bickerstaff earned 31 first-place votes and 305 points to finish second, while Udoka had seven first-place votes and 113 points.

After getting fired by the Cavs at the end of last season, Bickerstaff resurfaced in Detroit, where he led the Pistons to a stunning turnaround. Under Bickerstaff’s guidance, the Pistons improved from a franchise-worst 14 victories to 44 victories and a berth in the playoffs.

The Rockets finished second in the Western Conference with a 52-30 record, an 11-game improvement over their 2023/24 campaign.

Atkinson is the first Cavaliers coach to win the award since Mike Brown earned that distinction in 2009.

Outside of the finalists, only three other head coaches – Mark Daigneault (Thunder), Tyronn Lue (Clippers), and JJ Redick (Lakers) – showed up on Coach of the Year ballots, with Daigneault and Lue earning the remaining first-place votes. The full results can be found here.

Rockets Notes: VanVleet, Udoka/Popovich, Zone Defense

May 4th, 2025 at 3:10pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Seasoned Rockets guard Fred VanVleet, who has seemingly been getting better in each successive playoff game against Golden State, is confident that his young teammates will be prepared for Game 7, writes Marc J. Spears of Andscape.

VanVleet scored 29 points and handed out eight assists while leading Houston to a 115-107 Game 6 victory to knot the series at 3-3.

“We got so much talent just as long as they don’t get sidetracked,” VanVleet said. “Game 1 it was like, ‘Oh my God.’ And then Game 3 on the road was a little shaky. But other than that, they are so good. Just go out there and play your game. I just try to keep them calm and keep them focused on just playing the game. Don’t get worried about all the other stuff.”

The Rockets fell to a 3-1 hole against the lower-seeded, more experienced Warriors, but their youth, size, and athleticism has helped propel the team to consecutive victories. Now, the action shifts to Houston for a decisive Game 7.

There’s more out of Houston:

Longtime Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, who retained his president title while stepping down as coach this week, gave his former assistant, Rockets head coach Ime Udoka, some advice that helped him extend the Golden State series, per Sam Amick of The Athletic. Udoka had also played for Popovich on the Spurs, from 2007-09 and then again in 2010-11. While Udoka wasn’t willing to share the details, he said Popovich “gave me some pointers.” Houston is facing off against another Popovich disciple, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, who played for him in San Antonio and was a Team USA assistant during the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
The Rockets’ intimidating zone defense is a big reason why they’ve managed to extend this Warriors series, writes Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle (subscriber link). “It’s a weird zone,” reserve center Steven Adams said. “Yeah, I don’t know. It’s just like a bizarre one, but it works.” Per Lerner, Houston is employing a 2-3 zone attack. Two guards are positioned at the top of the floor, with frontcourt players handling the back line. VanVleet previously discussed the efficacy of the zone approach.
In case you missed it, Hoops Rumors’ Luke Adams recently ran a poll regarding the outcome of Game 7.

NBA Announces Finalists For 2024/25 Awards

April 20th, 2025 at 6:22pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Nuggets center Nikola Jokic are the three finalists for the league’s Most Valuable Player award this season, the league announced on Sunday (Twitter link).

While all three players put up monster numbers, Gilgeous-Alexander is generally considered the favorite to win the award due in large part to the Thunder’s team success this season. Oklahoma City won a league-high 68 regular season games, compared to 50 for Jokic’s Nuggets and 48 for Antetokounmpo’s Bucks.

The finalists for each award represent the top three vote-getters. The winners will be announced at a later date.

Here’s a rundown of the finalists for the major NBA awards voted on by media members:

Coach of the Year

Kenny Atkinson (Cavaliers)
J.B. Bickerstaff (Pistons)
Ime Udoka (Rockets)

Rookie of the Year

Stephon Castle (Spurs)
Zaccharie Risacher (Hawks)
Jaylen Wells (Grizzlies)

Sixth Man of the Year

Malik Beasley (Pistons)
Ty Jerome (Cavaliers)
Payton Pritchard (Celtics)

Defensive Player of the Year

Dyson Daniels (Hawks)
Draymond Green (Warriors)
Evan Mobley (Cavaliers)

Most Improved Player

Cade Cunningham (Pistons)
Dyson Daniels (Hawks)
Ivica Zubac (Clippers)

Clutch Player of the Year

Jalen Brunson (Knicks)
Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves)
Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)

Kenny Atkinson Wins Coaches Association Award

April 19th, 2025 at 11:27am CST by Luke Adams

Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson has won the Michael H. Goldberg award for the 2024/25 season, earning Coach of the Year from the National Basketball Coaches Association, according to a press release.

This award, introduced in 2017 and named after longtime NBCA executive director Michael H. Goldberg, is voted on by the NBA’s 30 head coaches, none of whom can vote for himself.

It isn’t the NBA’s official Coach of the Year award, which is voted on by media members and is represented by the Red Auerbach Trophy. The winner of that award will be announced later this spring.

J.B. Bickerstaff (Pistons), Mark Daigneault (Thunder), Ime Udoka (Rockets), and – interestingly – Michael Malone (Nuggets) also received votes from their fellow coaches for this year’s NBCA award. Malone was let go by Denver earlier this month.

Atkinson was hired by the Cavaliers last June and was tasked with turning the team into a legitimate title contender following a 48-win season and a second-round playoff exit. Despite the fact that Cleveland’s roster didn’t undergo any major changes last summer, the team had one of the best years in franchise history, racking up 64 wins and holding the No. 1 spot in the Eastern Conference for nearly the entire season.

After the Cavs placed 16th in the NBA with a 114.7 offensive rating in 2023/24, Atkinson helped turn the unit into the league’s top-ranked offense in ’24/25 — Cleveland’s 121.0 offensive rating led the league by a comfortable margin. The club also ranked eighth in defensive rating (111.8) and third in overall net rating (+9.2).

The NBCA Coach of the Year award has frequently been a bellwether for the NBA’s Coach of the Year honor, which bodes well for Atkinson. In six of the eight years since the award’s inception, the winner has gone on to be named the NBA’s Coach of the Year, including in 2024 when Daigneault won both awards.