The Brad Stevens (front office) era is about to begin for the Boston Celtics.
After a season in which the Boston Celtics took a bit of a step back after falling two games short of making the NBA Finals in the NBA’s restart bubble last year, changes during the offseason were expected. Although, I’m not sure an entire structural change to the front office was expeted.
That’s exactly what is transpiring in Boston.
Brade Stevens is leaving the head coaching seat to take a full-time role in the front office as the Celtics’ new head of basketball operations after Danny Ainge elected to step down as the team’s President, per The Athletic. The search for a new head coach is expected to begin.
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This move marks a transition for the franchise. Ainge has been with the Celtics since 2003 and has led the roster construction building element of this franchise. As Stevens takes over that role now, it’ll be interesting to see how his approach to building a team potentially differs from the way Ainge approached.
Will Stevens’ recent history of coaching impact it in any way? I know Ainge had his history as a head coach, but at this point, that seems like ages ago.
All in all, this is both surprising and a big risk for the Celtics franchise as a whole. Especially considering that this is a team that needs some serious retooling in order to get back to the level in which they were considered an Eastern Conference contender.
Danny Ainge left the Boston Celtics in a good place
The good news for Stevens and the Celtics is that Ainge is leaving this franchise in good shape. Boston has a myriad of trade assets, a solid roster, and a clear superstar. If Stevens can find the right head coach, this is a team that is going to continue to be relevant in the East for the foreseeable future.
Stevens has been described as worn down with coaching since The Bubble, and welcomed the chance to make the transition to the front office, sources tell ESPN. Stevens will help lead the search for his successor as head coach.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 2, 2021
Whether they’ll evolve into a contender is another question. That’s where Stevens has his plate full. That’s where his work will begin. And it’s probably something that Ainge struggled with most. Despite a strong foundation, Ainge was never able to take the Celtics from a good team to a great one during this recent build.
That’s where the pressure will fall on Stevens immediately. And his success or failure with the Celtics could very well be determined whether or not he can successfully put the right pieces around Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
It’s going to be quite an experiment and the Celtics have leaned 100 percent into it. The Brad Stevens era in Boston is about to begin.