Tag: Brad Stevens

Celtics cap issues could correct itself within two years

The Boston Celtics cap issues could correct themselves over the next two years.

The Boston Celtics are a second-apron luxury tax team. Since taking over as the team’s president of basketball operations, Brad Stevens has assembled one of the most talented and deepest rosters in the NBA. However, that level of talent and depth has come with a significant cost. Stevens has also spent the summer securing the long-term future of the core rotation.

According to The Athletic’s Jared Weiss, Boston’s current status as a second apron team could course correct itself within the next two years, as the apron could grow on a yearly basis. Due to the Celtics having all of their talent locked down, it’s possible their payroll will grow at a slower rate than the second apron and eventually see them duck under it completely.

“The second apron could grow year-to-year at a rate that would allow Boston to get under it for the 2026-27 season without even sacrificing a starter,” Weiss wrote. “The Celtics plausibly could stay out of the second apron from there on and fix their draft-pick issues. That would allow them to start trading core players to get younger and extend the window to win with Jayson Tatum and/or Brown.”

Eventually, the Celtics will need to make some roster moves. Jrue Holiday is nearing his mid-30s, and Al Horford is firmly in the final stage of his career. Ducking under the second apron would allow Stevens to re-tool the roster and keep the Celtics at the top of the Eastern Conference for years to come.

Whether Boston can duck the second apron will remain to be seen, but it would certainly help them establish a dynasty if they could.

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Boston Celtics president Brad Stevens on Joe Mazzulla’s coaching in 2023-24

It wasn’t that long ago Celtics fans were lining up to fire head coach Joe Mazzulla — at least, in their imagination, anyway.

It was not all that long ago that fans of the Boston Celtics were lining up to fire head coach Joe Mazzulla — at least, in their imagination, anyway. But the bumps and doubt from Mazzulla’s first season at the helm of the Celtics has given way to title celebrations in his second campaign, washing away most of those ill vibes.

Boston President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens recently opened up about that shift in fan perception towards Mazzulla in an interview with the Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach. “He did a great job in year one under really tough circumstances,” said Stevens, alluding to the massive task of taking over Ime Udoka’s team just days before the start of training camp.

“Then he came back and prepared exceptionally well and really had an unbelievable year and always recognized the whole time how fortunate we were to have the team we had.”

“His leadership all the way throughout and the way he managed each part of the season, and the way we peaked in the playoffs, was really encouraging,” added the Celtics president.

“Winning all those close games in the Indiana series, I just thought there were a lot of good things. It was cool to see that. It’s a reminder I think of how good he’s always been, and we knew that.”

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Celtics team president Brad Stevens says winning a title doesn’t make you feel different

‘The route to work doesn’t change, the traffic doesn’t change, and the same things you need to … take care of at home don’t change,’ he added.

Winning a title had always been something that had eluded Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens. When he was a high school and college player, he had personal success, but not matched by that of his teams. And as a coach, his near-misses with Butler (twice!) took that dynamic to a new level.

He got close as an NBA coach in Boston as well, but did not get to take on the mantle of champion until his Celtics won in 2024 with him as team president. Asked what he will take from that experience in a recent interview with the Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach, Stevens had plenty to say. “To me, it’s about the people and the journey,” he explained. “Having come close in college, obviously, and then a couple of years ago in the Finals, I’ve actually taken a lot of satisfaction that you don’t feel fulfilled.”

“You don’t feel any different,” said Stevens. “The route to work doesn’t change, the traffic doesn’t change, and the same things you need to make sure you take care of at home don’t change.”

“We’re going to have 50 million things we’re going to have to tackle and conquer together the next time we go through this,” said the Celtics president. “The only thing that probably changes is you have a bigger target. But I think that’s fun.”

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Celtics receive votes for NBA’s best offseason

The Boston Celtics received votes for having the best offseason in the NBA.

Following the Boston Celtics 18th championship in franchise history, Brad Stevens has focused on roster continuity. Within the last 12 months, he has extended every member of the core rotation outside of Al Horford. During the opening weeks of the 2024 offseason, Stevens has tied down Derrick White, Jayson Tatum and Sam Hauser to long-term deals.

As such, Boston’s summer has been spent ensuring the championship-winning team will be around for multiple years, thus ensuring their window of contention remains open for the foreseeable future. Of course, other teams around the NBA have been doing their best to catch up.

In a recent article by ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, multiple scouts and executives from around the NBA voted on which team has enjoyed the best offseason thus far. The Celtics received two votes, placing them fourth in the overall voting process.

Boston’s commitment to roster continuity and keeping their core together for the long term has clearly gained some appreciation from scouts and executives around the NBA. After all, Joe Mazzulla’s team dominated the league last season, and steamrollered their way to the a championship.

With the entire core locked down for the foreseeable future, the pressure is now on for the Celtics to continue challenging for championships, thus avoiding another 16-year drought.

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The Boston Celtics roster is worth the incredible price tag

Despite being one of the more expensive rosters in the NBA, the Boston Celtics are right to lock their core down for the future.

As a second-apron luxury tax team, the Boston Celtics roster projects to be one of the more expensive in the NBA. President of Basketball Operations, Brad Stevens, has spent the off-season locking down multiple players to long-term deals. As such, the cost of the roster is only going to continue rising.

During a recent article for Bleacher Report, Zach Buckley shared his thoughts on why it makes sense for the Celtics to continue pushing forward with their current championship-winning rotation, regardless of how expensive it may get to keep the core together long-term.

“Boston clearly has a great thing going and recognized as much. That’s why the Celtics bought back into this core wherever they could,” Buckley wrote. “…This roster will cost a fortune to manage—which is perhaps a big reason why the majority stake in this franchise is up for sale—but when the potential return on investment is additional championship rings, it’s hard to fret too much about the finances.”

The Grousbeck family recently put the franchise on the market.

Any potential new ownership group will be inheriting a costly team, but one that can sustain a dynasty in the coming years. It will be interesting to see whether the cost of Boston’s roster is a sticking point in the bidding period.

For now, though, the Celtics are set to continue working towards a second-straight championship, with the knowledge that the current roster is set to stick around for the foreseeable future.

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Which Celtics players stock has risen during summer league?

Which members of the Boston Celtics Summer League roster have seen their stock rise in recent weeks?

The Boston Celtics will play their final Summer League game on Sunday, July 21. They are 2-2 over their first four games. During the tournament in Las Vegas, Celtics fans got a closer look at recent draft additions Baylor Scheierman and Anton Watson. Neemias Queta, JD Davison and Jordan Walsh also participated in the event.

However, not every member of Boston’s Summer League roster stepped up to the plate. Some players have struggled to make an impact despite being given significant opportunities to showcase their improvements. On the other hand, some members of the Summer League roster have staked their claim and could get a closer look from the coaching staff during training camp.

In a recent episode of the “Big 3 NBA Podcast,” host A. Sherrod Blakely discussed which members of Boston’s summer league roster have seen their stock rise over the last couple of weeks with guest Noa Dalzell of Celtics Blog.

They also cover which players have hurt their chances of potentially earning playing time.

You can watch the full episode by clicking on the embedded video above.

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Was extending Sam Hauser the right call by the Celtics?

The Boston Celtics have signed Sam Hauser to a four-year $45 million contract extension, but was it the right call?

On Sunday, July 21, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Boston Celtics had reached an agreement with Sam Hauser on a four-year $45 million contract extension. The deal will begin in the 25-26 NBA season, as the sharpshooting forward still has one year left on his current deal, worth $2.1 million.

Hauser’s extension will push the Celtics further over the second apron. As such, there will be significant costs associated with his new contract due to repeater tax and luxury tax penalities. Nevertheless, the Celtics have secured one of the best sharpshooting role players in the league for the foreseeable future.

During a recent episode of “Celtics All Access on CLNS,” beat reporter Bobby Manning broke down the decision to extend Hauser while providing instant analysis of the deal and his thoughts on whether Brad Stevens made the right decision.

Hauser played 79 games last season, averaging 9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1 assist per night while shooting 42.4% from 3-point range. He also shot 38% from deep during the postseason.

You can hear Manning’s full thoughts by clicking on the embedded video above.

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High school basketball highlights of Boston Celtics team president Brad Stevens

Ever wonder how Boston Celtics team president Brad Stevens was as a player? Watch these high school highlights to find out.

Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens took time to talk with TNT sportscaster Ernie Johnson in the pandemic hiatus as the league geared up for a resumed 2019-20 season. The duo discussed his players’ participation in protests going on at the time and his history as a basketball player.

Much of the conversation between the Celtics head coach and NBA analyst focused on the background of Stevens and what led him to become a coach of the league’s most storied franchise. They discussed his time as a pharmaceutical rep as he figured out what to do once his career as a Division III player ended, and touched on his experience playing the game.

Johnson even dug up some footage of Stevens while he was still a high school basketball player, allegedly edited to make the Indiana native look a lot better than he supposedly was.

Judge Stevens’ jumper if you want, but it’s a curious window into an era of the NBA executive’s life we don’t often get to see — watch the video embedded above for the clip.

And check out the full talk here if you’d like to hear more.

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Brad Stevens speaks on Celtics being put up for sale

The Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations has discussed the franchise being put up for sale by the Grousbeck family.

The Grousbeck family has put their majority share in the Boston Celtics up for sale. The news came shortly after Boston won its franchise’s 18th championship. Wyc Grousbeck is expected to remain in charge of the team during a transitional period, with 2028 tentatively set as his exit date.

During a recent news conference with reporters at Las Vegas Summer League, Stevens discussed Boston’s pending sale. The Celtics President of Basketball Operations revealed that he learned of the news shortly before it was made public; however, he stressed that it doesn’t change much in the short term.

“Well, I mean, I learned not long before everybody else did that was going to happen,” Stevens told Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. “I obviously am very thankful for Wyc and his family and everything that they’ve done. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens from here. I don’t want to get too far into the weeds of it all but how does it affect us? It doesn’t really right now. From the standpoint of the corporate side or basketball operations we’re just head down, doing what we think is best for the now of the Celtics and the future of the Celtics. We’re lucky we (have) a good team.”

The Celtics have spent the offseason’s opening weeks securing their core rotation’s long-term futures. Derrick White and Jayson Tatum have both signed contract extensions. Jrue Holiday signed a new deal during the season. Sam Hauser is expected to sign once he becomes extension-eligible.

Stevens has overseen a rapid retooling of Boston’s roster, positioning them as the best team in the league. Regardless of what happens with the team’s sale, Boston is positioned to be a juggernaut in the coming years.

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Are the Celtics the NBA’s worst nightmare?

Are the Boston Celtics the NBA’s worst nightmare due to their deep roster and potentially long-term championship window?

The Boston Celtics steamrolled through the 2023-24 NBA season en route to a championship. Brad Stevens has constructed a seemingly flawless juggernaut on both sides of the court. He spent the opening week of free agency locking up most of the primary core for the foreseeable future by inking multiple players to long-term contract extensions.

As such, this current iteration of the Celtics doesn’t project to be disappearing anytime soon. Instead, their contention window is wide open for the next three or four years, assuming they can stay healthy and continue to sacrifice so that the team can thrive.

In a recent YouTube video by “Sporting Logically,” the host credited the Celtics as being the NBA’s worst nightmare due to the elite skillsets throughout the roster and the two-way versatility at every position.

You can watch the full episode of why the Celtics could be considered as the NBA’s worst nightmare by clicking on the embedded video above.

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