Since transitioning from coach of the Celtics to lead executive, Brad Stevens has painted one masterpiece after another. His hit rate is incredible for someone faced with the challenge of running an NBA team, as he’s made one impressive move after another, with almost zero major blunders along the way - almost an impossibility in this era.
But in a way, some of these moves, and especially the trades, have been almost too good. To say that Stevens and the Celtics have sold high on their players would be almost a comical understatement at this point.
In recent years, after the Celtics trade away a player, that player has almost immediately fallen off the map, often due to deteriorating health. This is obviously a savvy move, but at a certain point, teams are going to catch on, and they are going to start being a lot more guarded when dealing with the team from Boston.
Players traded by Stevens can't stay healthy
Starting almost the day he took over, Brad’s first trade sent Kemba Walker out the door. Kemba had averaged over 19 points and 4 assists for six consecutive seasons, but after being traded, injuries caught up to him, his play fell off a cliff, and he was out of the league after just 46 games.
Since then, Stevens has traded away a number of players who looked anywhere from good to great in Boston, but almost immediately diminished upon leaving, largely due to injuries and their bodies breaking down.
That list of players includes Evan Fournier, Tristan Thompson, Josh Richardson, Danilo Gallinari, Marcus Smart, Grant Williams, Malcolm Brogdon, and Rob Williams.
He added two more major names to that list in the offseason, as Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday have combined to play in just 48 games this season. The Holiday trade was even amended after a concerning physical caused the Trail Blazers to take draft picks off the table.
And now, it appears Brad may have struck again as head coach of the Bulls. Billy Donovan revealed that imaging showed Anfernee Simons has a wrist injury dating back to training camp with the Celtics, which never healed properly.
Take this one with a grain of salt, as Simons is on an expiring deal, and the Bulls mostly acquired him for the 2nd-round pick as they are looking to tank to the bottom since the trade deadline. But still, the list of players who get traded away from Boston, then struggle to stay on an NBA court, is starting to pile up.
Teams are going to grow wary of dealing with Celtics
I’m not suggesting that Brad is turning around and peddling damaged goods around the league, pulling the wool over the eyes of fellow execs, but I also wouldn’t be shocked if some eyebrows start to raise across NBA front offices.
It has been an incredible advantage for Boston, but if opposing teams start to grow skeptical of dealing with Stevens and Boston, it’s only going to get harder and harder to keep gaming the competition and building championship-contending teams.
For now, it’s best just to enjoy the masterful work of Brad Stevens and his staff. They’ve earned our trust and the overall benefit of the doubt. If other teams start to adapt, I’m sure the Celtics will remain ahead of the competition and find a new way to gain an edge on the field.