The Boston Celtics had some surprisingly positive news during the NBA Finals this weekend as they announced the hiring of former guard Sam Cassell to join Joe Mazzulla’s staff.
Cassell is a solid get for the Celtics considering he has been an assistant for more than a decade and has championship experience. Cassell was also involved in the C’s last championship in 2008, which makes this move a good omen for the franchise.
Cassell checks off all the boxes that the Boston Celtics needed to address when looking for a veteran assistant. Cassell was a leader as a player, and he was involved in three championship teams at different stages of his career. He won two championships with the Houston Rockets in his first two seasons and a championship with the Cs as an aging veteran.
Cassell can bring these intangibles that he had as a player to this young Celtics core.
The Celtics needed an associate head coach to be a senior advisor to Joe Mazzulla and act as a top deputy.
— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) June 5, 2023
Sam Cassell is the perfect person to fulfill that role, @JaredWeissNBA writes.https://t.co/NQvsGI9TiB pic.twitter.com/p80xap5ZEy
The fact that Cassell was on the last Celtics championship team is a positive omen for the Celtics, and it could bring a positive impact.
Bringing on more 2008 championship players is good for the Boston Celtics
I have been longing for the Boston Celtics to bring back or add more guys from the 2008 team because I think it’s important. Having guys like Cassell or even Paul Pierce around can be huge for Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown as they try to create their legacies and place in the franchise’s history.
Very short list of people in the #Celtics organization who were around for Banner 17 in 2008. Nice to have a daily presence in Sam Cassell who can explain to the current generation how winning in Boston just hits different…and the sacrifice it takes to get the job done.
— Adam Kaufman (@AdamMKaufman) June 5, 2023
Another positive omen can be how hard Cassell is going to work with Tatum and Brown. Cassell is known for his intense workouts with his players, and he even does it with superstars. Tatum and Brown are going to be able to learn a lot from Cassell, and it should lead to improved play on the floor.
— @Harrison_Grimm’s FilmBot (@76ersFilmRoom) July 7, 2022
Ultimately, this is a positive move for the Celtics, and it could help steer the C’s toward Banner 18.