Suns and Celtics: What Now?

Every team in the NBA goes through changes in management. While teams usually replace coaches and leaders during the offseason, these switches are typically because of lackluster performances, not scandalous behavior. The Phoenix Suns and Boston Celtics, both top teams in their respective conferences, are prime examples. If they don’t fix their administrative problems, the Celtics and Suns’ championship hopes will be over before the season even starts.

The fall of Robert Sarver is yet another woe on the Suns’ long list of adversities. Sarver was the owner of the NBA franchise until a league investigation uncovered his racist and misogynistic actions during games and practices, which included the repeated use of the N-word and inappropriate comments toward Suns’ employees. Sarver denied the allegations, but co-owners, coaches, and workers have all confirmed his toxic behavior. “There’s literally nothing you could tell me about him from a misogynistic or race standpoint that would surprise me,” a former Suns executive said.

The NBA quickly took action, fining Sarver $10 million and suspending him from the organization for a year. However, many believed that the league’s punishment was too lenient. An investigation uncovered former Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling’s usage of racial slurs and inappropriate sexual comments in 2014, and as punishment, league commisioner Adam Silver forced Sterling to sell the team outright. Players like Lebron James voiced their concerns, citing the unequal treatment and the need to uphold league values and virtues. The league needed to be consistent with its justice, but rather, it chose to risk repeating similar actions.

Initially, Sarver vehemently denied everything, releasing a press statement saying, “I’ve never called anyone or any group of people the N-word.” However, as more of Suns’ associates backed the allegations, the backlash was clear and his relationship with the franchise was irreparable. A week after the allegations, Sarver announced he was selling the team, admitting to his past mistakes despite adamantly denying them prior. Potential buyers started to express interest, including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Disney CEO Bob Iger, and Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison.

The Suns were supposed to have a bright and consistent future of playoff dominance after their trip to the 2021 Finals. Their young core, featuring two stars in guards Chris Paul and Devin Booker, had the best record in the 2022 NBA season. However, they were plagued by drama, whether it was losing by 40 points in win-or-go home playoff games, injuries to Paul, cheap-skating, or angering their young star center Deandre Ayton by refusing to extend his contract—one of Sarver’s many frugal and poor decisions. The Suns have even been ridiculed after just losing a preseason game to a bottom-ranked Australian team consisting of former NBA G-leaguers. The situation with Sarver just adds more to the instability and public scrutiny the team has to face.

The Western conference is stacked with talent. Between the emerging young talent in the Timberwolves and Pelicans, and the Lakers, Clippers, and Nuggets finally being healthy, the Suns are at risk of yet another early playoff exit. If this pattern of behavior and misfortune continues, the Suns will never reach their promised potential.

Sarver is not the only NBA executive to recently endanger his team’s success with workplace misconduct. In late September, former Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka was discovered to have engaged in an intimate relationship with a Celtics employee. The investigation began when the husband of the Celtics employee heard his wife discussing her infidelity on their front porch. The months that followed revealed Udoka’s multiple violations of team policy and his use of “crude language” in certain instances.

The league swiftly suspended Udoka for the 2022-23 season, frustrating many fans. To them, this was too harsh a punishment, considering the case findings stated that the relationship was brief and consensual. The suspension would also squash the recent success Udoka had, where he led the Celtics to the finals during his first year on the job.

However, Udoka’s decision to enter a relationship with a Celtics employee without notifying the team greatly undermined workplace integrity—his decision ignored the power dynamics between a superior and a staff member. In addition, Udoka is engaged to his fiancé Nia Long, who has yet to speak out on his infidelity. In a high profile position like head coach, Udoka should have known better than to make such rash and scandalous decisions, as they would be heavily scrutinized and looked into. Now, the Boston Celtics are forced to pay the price.

Udoka was a brilliant strategist, studying under the Spurs’ Gregg Popovich before making his debut as head coach in Boston. Initially, the Celtics struggled, entering the midway point of the season below .500. Despite the skepticism and calls to tank the rest of the season, Udoka switched up the Celtics’ game play, prioritizing ball movement and active defense. This sparked a phenomenal 28-7 game run to finish the 2022 regular season, and that momentum carried with them into the postseason. In an astonishing fashion, they swept the star-studded Brooklyn Nets in the first round, took down the first-seeded Miami Heat, and toppled the reigning champions of the Milwaukee Bucks. Udoka and the Celtics were just two games short of the title, seeing their magical run end against the Golden State Warriors in six games.

The Celtics now find themselves headed by interim coach Joe Mazzula, one of Udoka’s assistants. Many are skeptical of Mazzula’s experience and age and whether he can reach the bar Udoka set last season. Mazzula is 34 years old, with players like Al Horford on the roster passing him in age. In addition, injuries to key players like Robert Williams and Danillo Gallinari limit the Celtics’ defensive capabilities.

The Celtics find themselves in a crowded Eastern conference, with teams adding All-Stars and getting fully healthy. Mazzula cannot replicate the same success Udoka had. He does not have the same revered experience under Coach Popovich, nor does he have as close a bond with the players. The Celtics can run the same X’s and O’s as last year, but if they continue to miss Udoka’s instinct and knowledge, they will not be able to replicate his success.