Leading up to the 2023-24 season, the Boston Celtics spent a decade building themselves up in the post-Big 3 era. Exactly 10 years prior was the first year of Brad Stevens in Boston, and in those 10 years, he went from the mastermind on the sidelines to the architect of one of the best teams in franchise history.
From the moment he stepped into the league, Stevens was regarded as one of the best coaches in the business. When he moved to the front office, there were some questions as to whether or not his skills would translate. But they did more than that.
The Celtics made Stevens the President of Basketball Operations when Danny Ainge left, and in the three years since then, he’s moved into a new class of basketball specimen. And this offseason cemented it.
He’s on track to be a Hall-of-Famer.
Brad Stevens could be on his way to the Hall of Fame after this Celtics offseason's accomplishments
The first move Stevens made when he took over was to bring back Al Horford, who has been a crucial piece of the puzzle for Boston ever since.
He also traded for and extended Josh Richardson, who played real minutes for Boston during their 2021-22 campaign. But more importantly, Richardson was an essential trade piece in the deal that brought Derrick White to the Celtics. Now, White is an NBA Champion.
When Boston fell short in the 2022 Finals, he took a swing on Malcolm Brogdon, shipping out Aaron Nesmith, a first-round pick, and other assets to the Indiana Pacers.
Stevens’ true piece de resistance was the 2023 offseason. After losing to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals in heartbreaking fashion, Stevens and Boston’s ownership knew they needed a change.
In one summer, Stevens traded Marcus Smart, who had evolved into a franchise legend, for Kristaps Porzingis and followed it up with a home-run swing deal for Jrue Holiday. Combined with his trades for Horford and White, the moves brought Banner 18 to Boston.
But for as impressive as all of those trades are, Stevens’ actions this offseason were what brought him from impressive GM to future Hall-of-Famer.
When a team wins a championship, they usually lose crucial pieces. At the very least, rotation pieces move on in search of better paydays. Bruce Brown left the Denver Nuggets. Gary Payton II left the Golden State Warriors. PJ Tucker left the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Celtics didn’t lose anybody.
Every player in the top 10 in terms of total playoff minutes will be back in Boston for next season. Stevens re-signed Luke Kornet, Xavier Tillman, and Neemias Queta to new contracts.
He also inked Jayson Tatum, Sam Hauser, and White to new contract extensions, meaning the top eight players on the team will be in Boston for at least the next two years.
It was an incredible summer for Boston, and Stevens deserves a ton of credit. With a banner in hand, he could be headed to Springfield, and this offseason will be viewed as one of his greatest feats, especially if it leads to more rings.