Report: Celtics Holding Second Interviews With Three Head Coach Candidates
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Boston Celtics made a roster-shaping trade on Friday morning. They also moved a little closer to finding their next coach.
After breaking the news of the Kemba Walker trade, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Celtics have requested second interviews with a trio of head coaching candidates from outside the organization.
Those candidates are Chauncey Billups, Ime Udoka, and Darvin Ham.
"Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens, running the process to hire his successor, is trimming his list of candidates for the next phase of the process," Wojnarowski wrote. "Udoka, Ham and Billups are among the prominent candidates left in the search, but aren't necessarily the full complement of the Celtics' remaining list."
Billups, 44, was a five-time NBA All-Star and an NBA Finals MVP during his playing career, which began with the Celtics in 1997. He is currently an assistant coach under Tyronn Lue in Los Angeles with the Clippers, his first year as a coach.
Udoka, 43, is an assistant coach for the Brooklyn Nets. He was an assistant coach in Philadelphia in the previous season. He played seven NBA seasons for the Lakers, Knicks, Trail Blazers, and Spurs.
Ham, 47, is in his third season as an assistant coach for the Milawaukee Bucks. He previously was an assistant with the Hawks, Lakers, and the New Mexico Thunderbirds of the G League. As a player, Ham won a championship with Billups in Detroit in 2004. He played in nine NBA seasons for the Nugges, Pacers, Wizards, Bucks, Hawks and Pistons.
The report did not indicate a time frame for when Stevens hopes to select his successor.
