Latest news with #2024-25CoachoftheYear
USA Today
04-06-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Reports: With sudden coaching vacancy, Knicks intrigued by Houston's Ime Udoka
Reports: With sudden coaching vacancy, Knicks intrigued by Houston's Ime Udoka With a sudden vacancy at head coach, the Knicks are reportedly intrigued by Houston's Ime Udoka. There are no indications that Udoka wants to leave, or that the Rockets would let him out of his deal. In the aftermath of the Knicks opting to relieve Tom Thibodeau of his duties, multiple media reports named Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka as a desired candidate in New York. As things stand, Udoka is midway through a four-year contract that he signed in April 2023 to coach the Rockets. Ian Begley, a longtime Knicks reporter with SNY, adds more: Marc Stein reported late Tuesday that Ime Udoka and Jason Kidd are two coaches who are said to intrigue the Knicks. Udoka is a name that I'd heard as well. To hire Udoka, the Knicks would have to get permission from Houston and give the Rockets compensation to let Udoka out of his deal. Short of Udoka openly campaigning for the New York job, and there has been no indication of that, there's no reason to think the Rockets would consider such an arrangement. The Rockets have improved significantly in Udoka's two seasons with the team, and he just finished third in 2024-25 Coach of the Year voting. He's under contract for multiple seasons moving forward and is viewed internally as a foundational piece. Thus, there is zero interest from the team in parting ways. Granted, if the Knicks were willing to pay a high price via trade and Udoka was to indicate that he'd be looking elsewhere upon the expiration of his deal, it could make sense to take the assets — as opposed to the risk of eventually losing him for no compensation. But, again, there is no indication of that being the case. Udoka is a Portland native, so New York is actually further from his West Coast roots than Houston is. More realistically, the interest from the Knicks could perhaps be used by Udoka and his representatives in eventual talks regarding a contract extension. Salaries for NBA coaches have risen in the two-plus years since Udoka signed his initial deal with the Rockets, and coaches rarely enter the final 'lame duck' year of their contracts. Thus, at some point prior to the 2026-27 season, it's likely that Udoka and the Rockets will enter into a new round of negotiations. In that context, interest from other teams around the league can be useful for Udoka's market, and it helps to be publicly viewed as desirable. More: Houston's Ime Udoka finishes third for 2024-25 NBA Coach of the Year
USA Today
31-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Chris Mannix: In trade pursuits, Ime Udoka ‘a real asset' for Rockets
Chris Mannix: In trade pursuits, Ime Udoka 'a real asset' for Rockets Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix on the NBA's 2025 offseason trade market: 'Every player wants to play for Ime Udoka. That's a real asset that the Rockets have.' Entering the 2025-26 season, the Houston Rockets have the foundation of a relatively young and improving team that finished 2024-25 with the NBA's fourth-best record (52-30, No. 2 in the Western Conference). That's led many to speculate that Houston could be very desirable to any star players who might come available on the offseason trade market. But there's another potential reason for that desirability. On Friday's The Rich Eisen Show, NBA insider Chris Mannix (of Sports Illustrated) made the case: Every player in the league loves (head coach) Ime Udoka. Every player wants to play for Ime Udoka. That's a real asset that the Rockets have. Mannix went on to name Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics, and Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns as All-Star-level players who could be targets. Brown and Durant each have previous experience playing for Udoka, with Durant's stint coming when Udoka was an assistant with the Brooklyn Nets. Udoka was a finalist for the NBA's 2024-25 Coach of the Year award. 'The team that I'm still watching the closest is going to be Houston,' Mannix said of his offseason outlook. 'Can Houston make a play for Giannis? I'm sure they would love to.' More: Fact or fiction: Do the Rockets have the best assets to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo?
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pistons' J.B. Bickerstaff Disappointed After NBA Announcement on Monday
The Detroit Pistons' 2024-25 season was a historic one despite the disappointing ending in the first round of the playoffs. After finishing with the worst record in the NBA in each of the last two seasons, Detroit had a complete turnaround this season. Advertisement They finished the regular season with a 44-38 record, which placed them sixth in the Eastern Conference standings as they clinched their first playoff appearance since the 2018-19 season. Unfortunately for the Pistons, their championship hopes would end in the first round after they were defeated by the New York Knicks in six games. While the Pistons were unable to advance to the second round, they gave the Knicks all they could handle in round one ad it is clear that Detroit has a very bright future ahead of them led by their star point guard Cade Cunningham. Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Osentoski-Imagn Images Of course, Cunningham received most of the attention and credit for the Pistons incredible season, but head coach J.B. Bickerstaff also deserves a ton of credit. Advertisement Bickerstaff was honored as being a finalist for the 2024-25 NBA Coach of the Year award along with Kenny Atkinson of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Ime Udoka of the Houston Rockets. Unfortunately for Bickerstaff, he was not voted as the recipient of the award as Atkinson was named the 2024-25 Coach of the Year This is a great honor for Atkinson, who replaced Bickerstaff as head coach of the Cavaliers and led Cleveland to the top seed in the Eastern Conference, but Bickerstaff also made a solid case. After being fired by the Cavaliers in the offseason, Bickerstaff was hired by the Pistons where he would help turn their franchise into a championship contender after being a bottom feeder in the NBA over the last few seasons. Detroit Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff reacts during the second half against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Carchietta-Imagn Images Despite not winning the award, Bickerstaff's contributions to the Pistons' turnaround should not fly under the radar as they now look to build around their core and improve their title odds in the offseason.
