"Ime Udoka will coach again in the NBA” – Adrian Wojnarowski predicts Ime Udoka will likely coach next season

Ime Udoka will not coach the Brooklyn Nets this year. The Nets have decided to hire interim coach Jacque Vaughn as their permanent head coach. So what is next for the suspended Boston Celtics coach? Will he get another coaching job in the NBA?

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski believes that it is not all gloom and doom for Udoka and that he will be back in the NBA. On "NBA Today" with Malika Andrews, Wojnarowski gave a potential timeline for when Udoka could get a new job.

"He (Ime Udoka) will coach again in the NBA, he may coach as soon if not this season somewhere else next season," Adrian Wojnarowski said.

Per Wojnarowski, there are teams that are interested in Udoka and doing their due diligence on the coach. After the 2022-23 season, teams will likely assess where they stand, and there will be some open coaching positions.

Udoka was not a good fit for the Nets at the time. The team is still dealing with the fallout from Kyrie Irving's suspension and doesn't need the added distraction of hiring Udoka. His hiring now would have simply added more questions for the team to answer.

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Teams that may pursue Ime Udoka in the offseason

Philadelphia 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers are currently coached by Doc Rivers, but if they have another disappointing postseason run, they may make a change during the offseason. The Sixers have championship aspirations and have made significant investments in their current roster.

If the team fails to advance past the second round of the playoffs again, the organization may believe that a new voice in the locker room is required.

San Antonio Spurs

Gregg Popovich has made San Antonio Spurs one of the most stable organizations over the last 20 years. Is it possible that Coach Pop will step down soon? If that's the case, Udoka might be a good fit. He is a former player who began coaching while still in the Spurs system.

Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks reached the Eastern Conference Finals in the 2020-21 season. They haven't gotten there since. After winning their play-in games, the team was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs last season. If this season is a disappointment, the Hawks management may consider firing coach Nate McMillan.

In the offseason, they added Dejounte Murray to give Trae Young another star to play with. A new coach could be the next step.