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When the Boston Celtics hired Brad Stevens to be president of basketball operations, the shock was that the Head Coach had zero front office experience.
After an offseason where the Boston Celtics revamped the roster around their tremendous wing players, Jayson Tatrum and Jalen Brown, and brought in Ime Udoka as head coach, how has Brad Stevens done so far?
Why did Danny Ainge leave the Boston Celtics front office?
Danny Ainge has been with the Boston Celtics since his playing days in the 80's, and was the President of Basketball Operations since 2003. He was big in returning the Boston Centics to relevance by making shrewd moves that left teams feeling dirty because they often lost in trades.
There was a lot of criticism coming out of Boston regarding Ainge, and it simply felt like it was time to move on. The Boston Celtics are a proud organization and something had to give in Boston.
How did Brad Stevens transition from coaching to the Boston Celtics front office?
Brad Stevens was smart in not clamoring to become more involved in front office dealings as he struggled to keep the Boston Celtics afloat on the floor. The heat was getting hotter as many questioned why the Boston Celtics weren't more successful with Tatum and Brown.
Taking the front office job, while also hiring Ime Udoka to replace himself, was a smart move that took a lot of pressure off Stevens.
After all, there were those that desired for Stevens to want and excel at both positions, similar to Bill Belichek and the New England Patriots.
What is the Boston Celtics' salary cap situation?
Danny Ainge left the Boston Celtics a mess to sort out regarding their NBA salary cap. Brad Stevens immediately went to work. He made trades that helped the Boston Celtics financially.
The moves weren't blockbuster trades, but rather shrewd steps that ensured the Boston Celtics will be players in free agency after the 2020-21 season.
Brad Stevens' grade during his time with the Boston Celtics
Stevens was 354-282 in 8 NBA seasons as Boston Celtics head coach. He was 38-40 in the playoffs. Moving to the front office, while also stressful in keeping the cap numbers sane, must be a sigh of relief for Stevens.
Since taking over for Danny Ainge, Stevens has been very impressive this offseason. Trading Kemba Walker to the New York Knicks was a major start, and inking Dennis Shroeder to a one-year deal worth $5.9 million was the steal of the free agent period.
The Marcus Smart deal won't really hurt the team if he works himself into the starting rotation, and bringing back Al Horford was a genius move to mentor Robert Williams.
The Evan Fournier sign and trade to the Knicks created a trade exception similar to what trading Gordon Hayward to the Charlotte Hornets brought back to the Boston Celtics. Boston will definitely impact the NBA free agent period of 2022.
Brad Stevens can't take all the credit though. Mike Zarren, legal counsel and assistant GM, was great at crunching the salary cap numbers to put these moves in pay for Stevens.
I give Stevens an A with the potential of becoming an A+ depending on how the season shakes out. For now, there is optimism in Boston, and for the most part, Brad Stevens is the man to thank.
Guess the Lakers players!
