Marcus Smart believes there is more to Ime Udoka's story but the public is probably never going to find out the full truth. Jaylen Brown, meanwhile, is happy that the coach is getting another chance.

Credit: AFP - Scanpix
Credit AFP - Scanpix

Former Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka was suspended for the entire 2022-23 NBA season by the team for breaking the club's inner rules. Now, the specialist is expected to be hired by the Brooklyn Nets after they fired Steve Nash.

Points this season

48%
112,0
Points made: 112,0
Accuracy: 48,0%
Place in standings: 21
Record max: 125
Record min: 99
Best scorer: Kevin Durant

Asked about the situation, Marcus Smart was surprised to hear how the situation unfolded.

"From what we know and were told, it was just a suspension. We didn't know he was leaving to go coach somebody else," Smart said to Jason Lloyd from The Athletic. "We thought they just suspended him for the year and he'd be back. That’s why it's confusing. We weren't told too much about it."

"I think it left a lot of people just like, ‘What the hell is going on here?’ Because obviously, they suspended him for breaking a team rule," the player continued. "And it's like, 'OK, now obviously it looks like more than a suspension. But he's able to still coach. So what exactly was the team rule and how big was it to the point they felt they needed to suspend him and then all of a sudden say, 'You're gone' and allow him to go coach somewhere else?'"

Despite expressing his surprise, Smart understands that a straight answer with the entire truth will most likely never come out either from the Celtics or Udoka himself.

"I don't think you'll ever get a straight answer about what's really going on because there's only so much they can say and that they know," Smart admitted. "You can ask but I don't think it's going to change anything, help anything. I think asking is just to express how you feel, whatever you feel, off your chest. But really that's it. I don't think it'll change or affect any outcome. They made their decision."

Udoka was suspended for breaking multiple team policies related to an intimate relationship with a female staff member in the organization.

Smart's teammate Jaylen Brown was meanwhile happy for Udoka to get a second chance to coach another team. 

"It would've been awesome if we could've figured out a way for it to be with us but I guess that wasn't the case," Brown said. "I'm just happy to see a black head coach end up back on his feet because I've seen situations where something like this might not have been the case."

"I would've liked him to be here because Ime is a good guy. I believe that," he told. "It’s unfortunate just to see where he was at and everybody was worried if he'd be able to get another opportunity. So to hear that he potentially has another opportunity, it sucks that it's not here, but I'm glad that he's able to land back on his feet."

According to Adrian Wojnarowski from ESPN, the Nets' deal with Udoka is expected to be finalized today. The club is said to believe that the specialist's qualifications outweigh the controversy.

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