Moments ago, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski announced that Nick Nurse is out as the head coach of the Raptors. He was fired roughly a week after the team’s loss to the Bulls in the play-in tournament.
Although Nurse has just been let go, Toronto is already locked in on its top target.
Wojnarowski is reporting that former Celtics head coach Ime Udoka is expected to be a “serious candidate” to replace Nurse.
Udoka coached the Celtics during the 2021-22 season, leading them to a 51-31 record and an appearance in the NBA Finals.
The Celtics suspended Udoka before the start of the season due to violations of team policies. Joe Mazzulla would replace him as the team’s head coach.
In February, the franchise officially cut ties with Udoka.
Former Celtics coach Ime Udoka is expected to be a serious candidate to replace Nurse, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/L15nmpkxVo
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 21, 2023
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Nurse, on the other hand, will reportedly be a “prominent candidate” in the Rockets’ coaching search.
Nurse was 227-163 with the Raptors. His greatest achievement came in 2019, leading the franchise to a championship over the Warriors.