Why Rockets hiring Ime Udoka could help Knicks with two division rivals
After it was assumed that the Raptors were going to hire Ime Udoka after deciding to part ways with Nick Nurse, the Rockets proceeded to name Udoka as their new head coach. Houston finished the 2022-23 season with a 22-60 record, tied with San Antonio as the worst record in the Western Conference.
Now, looking ahead to the offseason, there are a couple of moves that the Rockets could make, but first, all eyes are on the 2023 NBA Draft. Houston has a 14% chance of being awarded the No. 1 pick via the draft lottery, which means that Udoka’s first season at the helm for the Rockets could involve coaching generational talent Victor Wembanyama.
Not only would it help the New York Knicks if Wembanyama were to be drafted to the West (and not the Pistons), but there are a couple of other reasons why Knicks fans should pay attention to what the Rockets do this summer.
Knicks rivals James Harden, Jaylen Brown linked to Rockets in rumors
The James Harden-Houston reunion rumor has been floating around for a few months now, dating back to December when ESPN’s Tim MacMahon hinted that Harden could return to the Rockets in the offseason. He has a $35.6 million player option for 2023-24 that he could decline to become a free agent, which is what’s expected to happen.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski recently reported on his podcast that Harden’s future in Philadephia is “unclear” and that his future as a Sixer could hinge on how the team performs in the playoffs.
Harden dropped 45 points in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals performance where he led the Sixers (without Joel Embiid) past the Celtics. Ironically enough, he turned back the clock and channeled the player that he was in Houston. He outplayed Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, which is notable for one big reason. He pulled a similar stunt in Game 4, dropping 42 points in Game 4 to tie the series at 2-2.
Similar to Harden’s future in Philadelphia, Brown’s future in Boston doesn’t seem to be certain, either. The 26-year-old isn’t set to be a free agent until the 2024 offseason, but if he’s named to an All-NBA team this year, he’ll be eligible to sign a five-year, $290 million supermax extension with the Celtics this summer. If that doesn’t happen, Boston could still extend him, but it’d be $100 million less.
In a feature written by The Ringer, Brown was noncommittal about his future with the Celtics and said that he hoped to see Udoka be granted a second chance. He was already connected to a team like the Rockets, who have the cap space to sign a player of his caliber. Udoka being hired by Houston has only added more fuel to the Brown-Rockets fire.
The Harden going back to Houston rumors hold more weight than the Brown rumors, but the Rockets hiring Udoka has made both possibilities seem more plausible. It goes without saying that the Knicks would benefit, especially if Brown winds up in Houston. He’s seven years younger than Harden and the best is still yet to come for him.
This offseason will be an interesting one for many teams, but especially the Rockets as they try to climb their way back up to relevance.
