"Hate the game, not the player." Brad Stevens has gotten a fair amount of backlash for his decisions this offseason. Between missing out on Giannis Antetokounmpo and then following that up by trading Jaylen Brown after his peak season, Boston Celtics fans have not been happy.
But the rationale for his moves is simple: he's simply trying to build a long-term winner while playing within the restrictions of the current CBA. For that reason, Stevens' efforts to assemble a championship team should be more appreciated when he had the chance in 2023.
Yeah, we all know the story. Stevens brought in Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday to get the Celtics the necessary reinforcements to become champions. However, doing so put Boston not just over the NBA's second tax apron, but well over.
But that was a price he was willing to pay, as the Celtics weren't just good, but historically dominant. Stevens didn't care about the ramifications, and he was right not to, because it led to Banner 18, a season Celtics fans will never forget.
He shot first, and asked questions later because the opportunity was too good to pass up.
Stevens also knew it was only a two-year window
Teams can only be above the NBA's second tax apron for two years in a five-year window before facing some severe consequences, so Stevens knew the days were numbered. He seized the day while the chance to win a title was there.
Better yet, he played his cards much better than some of the other teams that took the same risk. Phoenix did the same thing, and now their long-term situation is not great. Minnesota assembled a fantastic team, but had to cut it short the following year by trading Karl-Anthony Towns.
Stevens knew that once the 2024-25 season concluded, the party was over. The fact that he's had to cut as many costs as he has, and not only has he not lost any draft assets, but has even gained some in the process, shows how good he is at his job.
If those CBA restrictions didn't exist, there's no telling if Brown, Holiday, Porzingis, and Al Horford would still be in Boston. Stevens didn't create these rules; he simply played by them as best he could. Even if he didn't have long, he still took his chance to win Banner 18 and didn't look back, and look what it led to.
For that same reason, Celtics fans should still be thinking of the long game, as he's definitely setting the team up for another window, even if we may not see it for a while.
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