Both Raptors and Rockets have shown potential interest in hiring Ime Udoka for his coaching return

It seems we might have Ime Udoka courtside again very soon, as NBA teams are starting to pile up behind him to make his coaching return for the next campaign.

It has been reported lately that the Raptors and Rockets could be interested in the former Boston Celtics trainer, yet it still depends on how their current seasons finally play out. As Houston has no chances of making it to the playoffs, the Toronto squad is currently in standing 9th to qualify for the Play-in tournament.

REPORT: Ime Udoka could draw interest from the Raptors or Rockets this summer.

(via @SteveBHoop, https://t.co/5auz6fmj3S) pic.twitter.com/zhkbyipVmp

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) March 27, 2023

Back in January, The Athletic’s Shams Charania was the first on the scene to report on the fact that Toronto is seriously considering letting go of coach Nick Nurse at the end of the current championship. Later it was NBA insider Steve Bulpett who mentioned that the Raptors administration had Udoka in mind as one of the main candidates to replace him.

So, yes, there is a long list of reports made by important journalists among the league who can clearly trace the link between both franchises and the former Celtics coach. However, as some believe Udoka’s return to the NBA is hard to imagine, other greats of the game have showed him support.

It wasn’t until San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich publicly showed some love to Ime after he was suspended for “violations of team policies”, that the press got serious about him coaching again. Let’s remember that the Spurs legend trained Udoka for three season in Texas, and also had him on his staff as an assistant for seven years.

“Ime was and is and always will be a great friend, and so you can imagine that I was deeply disappointed and hurt for him, for everybody involved,” he said Sunday, referencing Udoka’s polemic suspension. “It’s a difficult situation for him, and my hope is that he will bounce back and find a home.”

Take a look at this video to recap on what were the controversial reasons over why the former Boston boss was taken off his charge as head coach:

For now Houston seems to be more possible, as Stephen Silas is losing control of his squad

Even though Udoka isn’t their only candidate, as Houston has even considered hiring Toronto’s Nick Nurse, there is still lots to be settled before we can make any real assumptions. The truth is, it’s hard to imagine Stephen Silas coaching the Rockets any longer.

ESPN reporter Brian Windhorst recently revealed that the coach once cried out of frustration after a match because he felt that he couldn’t reach his players any longer. “Houston lost 18 of 19 games at one point and 11 straight games during another stretch,” the journalist said. “At one point, Silas broke down in tears because he felt he couldn’t reach his players.

“One of the team’s then veterans, Eric Gordon, said in January ‘there’s no improvement’ when summing up the state of the Rockets — not ideal for a young player trying to find positivity in early struggles.”

The Houston squad currently sit at the bottom of the Western Conference with a depressing 18-58 record. As they’ve had no chance of entering the post-season, it’s no wonder they have started to look for a new coach already.