Brad Stevens Reflects on the Celtics’ Future After Elimination
Following the Boston Celtics’ elimination from the playoffs, Brad Stevens, the team’s president of basketball operations, is facing a period of reflection and crucial decisions. With the end of the season, Stevens acknowledges the multitude of questions that arise for the franchise.
Stevens emphasizes the importance of not rushing future decisions, basing each move on the pursuit of competitiveness and the possibility of fighting for the championship.
“I know there will be a lot of questions about what comes next. At the end of the day, I think everything will be driven by the same thing that has always driven us: ‘How do we engage to compete better for championships?’”, Stevens stated.
Brad Stevens
The last few nights have been a whirlwind of emotions, including the acceptance of the end of their time as NBA champions, Jayson Tatum’s injury, and the financial decisions and roster moves that will shape the team’s future.
With a projected payroll of $225 million for next season, the tax bill could reach $280 million. The combined total cost could reach $500 million, which would set a league record under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Stevens did not offer details on the decision-making process, but suggested that more information would be available around the NBA draft. In addition, he noted that it is not clear if championship windows are becoming shorter due to the current CBA.
Stevens also clarified that factors such as Jaylen Brown’s management of a partial meniscus tear in his knee, or Kristaps Porzingis’s “post-virus syndrome” did not prevent Boston from avoiding becoming the sixth consecutive defending champion to not advance past the second round the following season.
“I’d rather talk about the CBA and all that shit. The reality is that we lost the first two games [against New York], and that’s why we put ourselves in a difficult situation,” Stevens joked.
Brad Stevens
Regarding Brown and Porzingis’ situation, Stevens expressed optimism about their recovery. He mentioned that Brown told him his knee felt better at the end of the series against New York, and that he is encouraged by Porzingis’ plans to play with Latvia in the EuroBasket in August.
Stevens also trusts that Brown can take on any necessary role next season during Tatum’s absence.
“Those guys have been the cornerstones of this program for a while. So, there’s no doubt about it. Those guys have accomplished a lot. And they certainly deserve all the recognition, praise, and accolades they receive. But, yes, that’s a huge part of being the best version of ourselves,” Stevens concluded.
