Celtics suspend coach Udoka for 2022-23 season after 'violations of team policies'

The Boston Celtics have suspended coach Ime Udoka for the 2022-23 season, effective immediately, and with no guarantee he will be back with the franchise.

The Celtics said Thursday night that Udoka was suspended for "violations of team policies." Earlier Thursday, two people with knowledge of the matter said Udoka was being sanctioned because of an improper relationship with a member of the organization. Those people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team did not reveal that detail publicly.

"A decision about his future with the Celtics beyond this season will be made at a later date," the Celtics said.

Udoka, in a statement published by ESPN, apologized but did not offer detail.

One of the people who spoke with The AP said Celtics assistant coach Joe Mazzulla will take over on an interim basis.

CBC Sports has not independently confirmed the reports.

Mazzulla interviewed for the Utah Jazz coaching job this summer, a position that ultimately went to Will Hardy, another of Udoka's assistants in Boston last season. Udoka's other assistant coaches were Damon Stoudemire, Ben Sullivan, Aaron Miles and Tony Dobbins.

Udoka had a brilliant first season with the Celtics, finishing the regular season at 51-31 — going 26-6 in the final 32 games — and leading Boston past Brooklyn, Milwaukee and Miami on the way to the NBA Finals. The Celtics lost the title series to the Golden State Warriors in six games

Losing Udoka is going to be a significant blow to a team that is widely considered among the favorites to contend for an NBA title this season.

The developments are reminiscent of the shakeup across town in 2020 ago when Red Sox manager Alex Cora was suspended by Major League Baseball for a year for