Boston Celtics: 3 questions in the wake of the Ime Udoka suspension
Boston Celtics question No. 1: Did the Celtics miss their best shot at winning a title already?
Now that Udoka is officially out for the entire season, this question has to be asked; did Boston just miss their best shot at winning a title? It wasn’t unreasonable to expect them to make another deep playoff run this season, and that still may be the case, but the cracks are already starting to show.
For starters, Udoka is gone. There’s still a lot we don’t know about this suspension. but it would be fair to assume Game 6 of the 2022 NBA Finals was the last time we will see him coaching for the Celtics. We’ve already seen a report emerge that he made unwanted comments to this woman, which prompted the entire investigation, and as details continue to emerge on this story, they probably won’t paint Udoka in a great light.
We also witnessed Jaylen Brown’s name get thrown around in trade rumors for Kevin Durant this offseason, and there’s a chance the front office could have damaged their relationship with one of their best players. There’s a decent chance the Brooklyn Nets were just making a desperate play here, but it obviously isn’t ideal for a star player to have to endure this.
Even beyond that, there are so many questions that could plague this roster. Robert Williams III is still dealing with his bothersome left knee; will that continue to impact him throughout the season? Al Horford is already 36; will he be able to continue to play at a high level? Will Jayson Tatum be able to recover from his horrible Finals series against the Golden State Warriors?
Next. Celtics enter 2022-23 season with edge, attitude, and purpose. dark
The cracks on this team are starting to form, and while they may end up being nothing, you have to acknowledge that they do indeed exist. And with all that, you begin to wonder whether or not this team just missed their best chance at winning a title last season.
The Celtics still have a very strong roster, and they will be one of the toughest teams to beat this season, but it’s beginning to feel like they may have missed their best chance at winning a title last season. The 2022-23 team will have to prove that isn’t the case; the question remains whether or not they can do with Udoka no longer on board.