Goodman: 'Stevens is coaching in a year'

[PhoSita]

Goodman hates Jaylen and is always advocating we trade him.

Hmmmm I wonder why

[86MaxwellSmart]

the "Media" is usually wrong about everything anyway....Goodman in particular.

[Celtics2021]

It’s interesting to watch the Brad knives come out around the NBA the last day.  It’s been clear they’ve never liked him, for reasons I’m unclear about.  But he’s never been respected — consider that he got 0 votes for coach of the year from his fellow coaches in 2018 after losing Hayward in game 1 and still getting to the conference finals, and only finishing third with the press (Dwane Casey won and was promptly fired), which was the best finish in his career.

Now it’s that Stevens, who was hitherto disrespected as a coach, must certainly have no ability to run an organization, and should stick to being a coach (which he supposedly isn’t good at?)

[86MaxwellSmart]

It’s interesting to watch the Brad knives come out around the NBA the last day.  It’s been clear they’ve never liked him, for reasons I’m unclear about.  But he’s never been respected — consider that he got 0 votes for coach of the year from his fellow coaches in 2018 after losing Hayward in game 1 and still getting to the conference finals, and only finishing third with the press (Dwane Casey won and was promptly fired), which was the best finish in his career.

Now it’s that Stevens, who was hitherto disrespected as a coach, must certainly have no ability to run an organization, and should stick to being a coach (which he supposedly isn’t good at?)

Exactly.

[gouki88]

Tricky since he's contracted for years

[obnoxiousmime]

My assumption is that Stevens' deal lines up with when his youngest child finishes high school, give or take a year. Realizing he might have lost the locker room but also not wanting to uproot his family or be apart all the time (and probably also being a little burnt out), this was probably the best solution for him, for Wyc's wallet, and for the franchise to save face. However, it's not clear this is what's best for the team and the organization as a whole which is what the players and fans should be concerned about. A totally clean break would have been an admission that the C's narrative about being a top-shelf, consistent organization was false. That being said, I do at least give them credit for making a change that undoubtedly was very difficult for Wyc. 

I assume that Stevens' plan currently is to do the job for a few years and after his youngest graduates, reconsider coaching again. He could easily get a job and the same salary elsewhere, it's not like the contract he signed last year wouldn't be easy for him to rip up and let Wyc off the hook. However, it's clear to me he wants to stay in the area and also probably feels like leaving now would be kind of a failure.

 

[Kuberski33]

Jackie MacMullen said on Rusillo's podcast that Brad's burnt out from coaching between the pandemic, the bubble, the team's struggles and missing his kids games. Plus I also think he realizes - like many of us here have mentioned - that his players tuned him out this season.  He's had a long tenure as coach but most of these guys have a shelf life. 

I can see him wanting to get back on the sidelines at some point in the future with a new group of players - whether it's here or somewhere else.  But it will likely be after his kids are grown unless ownership asks him to coach again.

[Celtics2021]

For perspective, from 2014:

Handicapping a field of potential candidates to succeed Mike Krzyzewski at Duke, ESPN's Jeff Goodman included Stevens as the fifth most likely choice at 6-1 odds. Wrote the scribe: "If Duke goes outside of the 'family,' look for Stevens to be at the top of the list. No one on this list has accomplished more, and it's not even close. Sure, Boy Wonder has been in Boston for only one year, but who knows what can happen in the NBA? Let's say, for argument's sake, he doesn't get it done in the next few years with the Celtics. Krzyzewski has a ton of respect for Stevens and could try to persuade him to take over if Stevens isn't winning enough in the league."

Just to be clear, it's not known when Coach K will decide to retire. He seems to be going strong now, laughed off a question about the r-word in March, and has already committed to coaching USA Basketball and Duke through the 2016 Olympics. But still, he's 67 years old and people can't coach forever. He could theoretically call it quits after the 2015-16 season or coach well into his 70s. Who knows.

To add a little background: Shortly after Stevens was hired last June, the Boston Globe's Baxter Holmes reported league sources questioning whether the coach would remain with the Celtics throughout his entire six-year contract.

Not the first time “NBA insiders” have suggested Stevens isn’t really in it for the long haul.

https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2014/05/espn_gives_boston_celtics_head.html