Former Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka is now under contract with the Houston Rockets for the next four years, according to Michael Shapiro of Chron.com. The total value of the deal, which runs through the 2026-27 NBA season, is $28.5 million.
With an annual average of just over $7 million, the deal is in a similar financial ballpark to Atlanta’s recent hire of veteran coach Quin Snyder, who is making approximately $8 million per year.
Shapiro offers more details in his Chron.com story:
Udoka, 45, will earn $6.75 million in 2023-24. His salary will rise $250,000 in each season, culminating in a salary of $7.5 million for the 2026-27 season.
The length and salary of Udoka’s deal is notable given Houston’s previous coaching hire in the Tilman Fertitta era. Stephen Silas received a contract with only three guaranteed years when he was hired ahead of the 2020-21 season, with a team option for a fourth season that was not picked up at the conclusion of this year’s 60-loss campaign.
Full story on Udoka’s contract is live @chron:https://t.co/m1cCJUDqJl
— Michael Shapiro (@mshap2) April 26, 2023
In their previous coaching search in 2020, the Rockets gave Stephen Silas a three-year deal with a team option for the fourth season. After going 59-177 (.250) in the first three seasons, that option year was declined, leading to Houston’s 2023 search and the hiring of Udoka.
Financial terms for Silas’ deal were not reported. However, given his lack of prior NBA head coaching experience, Silas was likely a cheaper hire for the Rockets than Udoka. While coaching salaries are not required to be disclosed by teams, it appears Udoka will be among the league’s 10 highest-paid coaches on an annual basis.
