How Brad Stevens has solidified himself as the best Front Office Executive in the NBA

In 2013 the Boston Celtics hired Brad Stevens as their head coach. It was a role he served in until 2021. Stevens was one of the best head coaches in the league. He led the Celtics to multiple Eastern Conference finals, but he could never seem to get over the hump. After an embarrassing loss to the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the 2021 playoffs a shocking announcement was made. Danny Ainge who was the current president of basketball operations announced that he would retire and that head coach Brad Stevens would fill his role. Shockwaves were sent through the entire Boston Sports World. Fans did not know what to expect, and were confused that such a good coach would shift to a front office role. Fast forward three years later and Brad Stevens has solidified himself as the best front office executive in the entire NBA. Here are the series of moves that led to this.

Stevens’ first move occurred just two weeks after he was hired. He traded star point guard Kemba Walker, the 16th pick in the draft, and a 2025 second rounder to the thunder in exchange for power forward/center Al Horford, center Moses Brown, and a 2023 second round pick. Moses Brown never played for the Celtics, but Al Horford in his second tenure with the Celtics has excelled. In his first two years on the team he anchored the defense and was a key reason the Celtics made the 2022 finals. He has taken a lesser role this year as sixth man but his impact both as a player and as leader in the locker room is still felt.

Just ten days later Stevens hired Ime Udoka. Before Udoka was fired for committing an act of adultery with a travel coordinator he was a great coach who led the Celtics to their finals appearance in over ten years. He created a lockdown defensive team and created an environment for Marcus Smart to win Defensive Player of the Year. 

In the middle of the 2022 season Brad Stevens made possibly his best move. He traded Josh Richardson and Romeo Langford and two first round picks to the Spurs for guard Derrick White. A move that no one thought much of at the time, but many highlight it as the premier reason why Brad Stevens is regarded as the best at what he does. His defensive presence and ability to always make the right play makes the Celtics one of the best teams in the league

In the summer of 2022 Brad sent Aaron Nesmith, Daniel Theis, Malik Fitts, Juwan Morgan, Nik Stauskas, and a 2023 first-round draft pick to the Pacers for Malcolm Brogdon. Brogdon ended up winning the sixth man of the year award. He did not perform well in the playoff but it was still a great move.

Just a couple of days before training camp started Joe Mazulla was named interim head coach to replace Ime Udoka who had just been suspended. This hiring made the Celtics the best offensive team in the league. Joe Mazulla is now one of the best coaches in all of the NBA.

Stevens solidified himself truly before this current season, when he traded Marcus Smart to the Grizzlies and Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala to the Wizards for Kristaps Porzningis. Later in the offseason Stevens sent Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams III to the Blazers for Jrue Holiday. Both of these guys have been key in the Celtics run to the best team in the league. Brad is not afraid to trade fan favorite players in order to make the team better. All of Boston was sad when he trade Smart but we all knew deep down that was the right move for the team.

Since Stevens took over the Celtics have been among the best teams in the league thanks in large part to the risks that Brad Stevens took.