The appointment of Brad Stevens signifies the next big step for the Boston Celtics

Brad Stevens congratulates Kameron Woods #31 of the Butler Bulldogs following their 67-62 win against the Xavier Musketeers at Hinkle Fieldhouse on March 9, 2013 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The new C’s Head Coach had a great great relationship with his players and staff. (Getty Images)

But the difference to the team that Stevens is taking over than the one Pitino was handed with is the age and potential. Despite the prowess that Pitino authenticated during his stint at Boston, the players who played under him had nowhere near the potential that Stevens’s team will.

In addition, Pitino’s group was aging out of the NBA – just when other teams began to rebuild around a corpus of young talent. When Stevens sits at the desk where legends such as Red Auerbach have, he knows that not only is his team young and emanating, but the chemistry prevailing in this team is fleckless.

There is another aspect of Stevens’s personality which shouldn’t be shooed off. While coaching at Butler, he made every decision having thought over it a million times. That is precisely what he must have done by agreeing to coach in the NBA.

The transition from the NCAA to the NBA is harder than many expect it to, and Stevens was well varying of it. The most alluring opportunity for any young basketball mentor is to don the suit and tie as an NBA head coach. Stevens was no different but he took his chance after numerous calculations.

At Butler, he was sure to be venerated and more than that, he had job security guaranteed till 2022. But the Celtics offered more. He would be earning a lot more money for his family of two daughters and a lovely wife to survive amicably.

But money wasn’t just it. It was the pressure that would be heaped upon him once he takes to the courts of the NBA and play against not only the best of talents of America – but the entire world. Can Stevens handle that?

Stevens reacts to a call in the second half against the Marquette Golden Eagles during the third round of the 2013 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Rupp Arena on March 23, 2013 in Lexington, Kentucky. The 36-year-old is known to be extremely vocal on the touchline. (Getty Images)

It won’t be easy. But he is more than capable.

The Celtics – by choosing to not keep their magma of players from the past few years – have accepted to the fate of the draft lottery in the next two years. If Stevens can guide the Celtics to the playoffs in 2014 or ’15, he should well be in contention for “Coach of the Year”.

But like his analytics will tell him, Brad Stevens and the Boston Celtics are going to mould their talents from the upcoming drafts for the years to come. In 2013-14 and 2014-15, the NBA Championship might be far from the Celtics’ fetch.

But the team can assure itself a warranty that a new brigade of stars will rise in the esteemed white and green jerseys of the NBA’s most decorated franchise. This wasn’t a surety under Rivers or any of those senescent players that just departed.

But under Stevens, there is already a sparkle of rejuvenation – to become not only an Eastern Conference contender in the future, but to tyrannise the rest of the NBA, just like the good old Celtics of the 70s and 80s.

The rest of the NBA can rebuke what the Celtics just did this off-season. But ultimately, the city of Boston will always have the final laugh. And so will Brad Stevens.