Stevens touches bases before playoff run
Celtics president talks Mazzulla, Holiday, etc.
Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens held a brief interview session Tuesday as the team returned to practice to prepare for Game 1 of the playoffs Sunday. Here are the highlights.
■ Joe Mazzulla’s growth
The coach was thrown into a challenging situation last season, when he took over for the suspended Ime Udoka right before training camp despite never having been even a lead assistant in the NBA. He has said it took him time to develop his head coaching philosophy.
Although the conference finals loss to the Heat was a frustrating end, Stevens backed Mazzulla the whole way and made it clear soon after the season Mazzulla would be brought back. Stevens has been pleased to see his growth continue.
“Everybody in that second year of being a head coach learns a lot about navigating the season, the schedule, the team, and all the challenges that come along with that,” Stevens said. “I don’t think that’s unique to him.
“But I do think he’s done another really good job. I think that he’s as good as there is getting a group on message and staying on that message and being able to hone in on this task at hand. And this group is very consistent with that.”
■ Jrue Holiday’s extension
Last week the Celtics agreed to a four-year, $135 million contract extension with the point guard. The sides had to wait six months after the October trade to reach a deal, and they agreed to one rather swiftly.
Stevens said he has been impressed by how Holiday, a former All-Star and NBA champion, has embraced a slightly reduced role on this 64win team.
“For a guy that is as accomplished as he is that’s used to more usage, more reps, more touches, and all those other things, that never even came into play,” Stevens said. “All that came into play was, ‘What kind of a teammate am I being and can I help us win?’
“And I just think that when you look at the kind of player that he is, what he’s capable of on any given night, but also the fact that he can play off the ball and be as effective as he’s been, I just think it shows another layer of what a guy can do.”
When considering the long-term future of the franchise, Stevens said it is important to fill the roster with excellent two-way performers who also can serve as role models to younger players. Holiday fits the bill.
■ The final roster spot
The Celtics recently filled their final roster spot by converting center Neemias Queta’s two-way contract into a standard NBA deal. They could have looked to bolster the bench with a veteran presence, or even added a developmental piece for an extended look during the playoffs, much as they did when signing Justin Champagnie last April.
But Stevens said Queta impressed the Celtics while splitting time between Boston and the G League affiliate in Maine, and he is hopeful that the big man will have a role here for years to come.
“The likelihood of anybody that you sign at that 15th spot playing huge moments in a playoff run is pretty low,” Stevens said. “But he’s shown that he’s able to do that if surrounded by the right guys in the right role.
“That was one thing. Then obviously with the contract that we signed, we think he is more than just a right-now player. We think he’s a guy that can help us in the future.”
■ The latest Indiana rumors
Longtime college basketball reporter and CBS studio analyst Seth Davis raised some eyebrows last week when he said the likelihood of Stevens returning to coach college basketball in Indiana after next season is “more possible than you think.”
Stevens, of course, guided Butler to a pair of NCAA title-game appearances prior to joining the Celtics as coach in 2013. He took over as president of basketball operations for Danny Ainge in 2021, and on Tuesday, it was no surprise that he did not sound like someone who will be considering other opportunities soon.
“I don’t get into the rumor stuff,” he said. “I’ve got a heck of an opportunity here. We’ve been here 11 years now and gotten a chance to see this team do a lot of cool things and go a long way, and our goals have been the same since we moved here.
“We’d like to get over that hump, so I’ve got plenty enough to do right now rather than think about all that stuff.”
■ Jeff Van Gundy’s role
The former coach and television analyst joined the Celtics in an advisory role this season. Although he has mostly stayed out of the spotlight, he is often seen alongside Stevens at everything from Celtics games to Stevens’s son Brady’s high school contests.
Stevens said Van Gundy’s knowledge and insight have been helpful.
“It is fun watching a game with him when he doesn’t have to speak in 15-second sound bites,” he quipped. “He’s pretty entertaining.”