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Six months ago, a large majority of NBA fans had probably never heard the name Joe Mazzulla.
Of course, there are us sickos who fondly remember Mazzulla tearing up the Big East for Bob Huggins and West Virginia en route to the 2010 Final Four. But those days are long past.
Mazzulla was thrust into the spotlight a few months ago when the Boston Celtics indefinitely suspended head coach Ime Udoka for an improper relationship with a member of the team’s staff. Mazzulla had served as an assistant coach first under Brad Stevens and then under Udoka for the Celtics.
Boston named Mazzulla its interim head coach when Udoka was suspended.
He’s since led Boston to a 24-10 start, which is the best record in the NBA. Star duo Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown look as good as ever and the Celtics look like a serious NBA title threat.
But even that isn’t enough to get Boston to remove Mazzulla’s interim tag. And it appears the decision to do so isn’t coming anytime soon.
Report States Celtics Have ‘No Plans’ To Remove Mazzulla’s Interim Tag Before Season Ends
Boston Globe Celtics writer Adam Himmelsbach reports that the organization reportedly has no “no plans” to make Mazzulla’s gig permanent any time soon.
Speaking of Mazzulla, a league source said the Celtics still have no plans to remove the interim tag from his title before season’s end. Mazzulla is well aware of the situation and understands that he’ll be coaching this entire year regardless.
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Privately, the Celtics may have given Mazzulla some sense of their future intentions, but unless Udoka takes another job elsewhere, don’t expect anything to be finalized until the summer. – via The Boston Globe
Udoka’s suspension reportedly ends on June 30.
Mazzulla may well be okay with the situation. But it wouldn’t be unreasonable at all if he were upset about it. Udoka hanging around serves as a cloud of sorts over Mazzulla’s head.
Though if he doesn’t get the Celtics’ job, Mazzulla could very well end the head coach elsewhere. For now, he and Boston appear to be on the same page. And if he brings home the Larry O’Brien Trophy, it won’t be a difficult decision.
But there’s a long way to go until that happens.