Brad Stevens Explains Greatest Challenge of Front Office Transition

Jesse Cinquini | Aug 18, 2024

Apr 17, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens on the court sideline before the start of the first round against the Boston Celtics for the 2022 NBA playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports / David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

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Brad Stevens served as the head coach of the Boston Celtics for eight seasons, from the 2013-14 season through the 2020-21 campaign. During that time, he led the Celtics to seven playoff appearances and three appearances in the Eastern Conference Finals.

However, while the Celtics consistently made deep runs in the playoffs under Stevens, Boston was never able to get over the hump and win a title with the 47-year-old leading the team from the sidelines.

But that all changed when Stevens’ role with the Celtics switched from being the squad’s head coach to its president of basketball operations ahead of the 2021-22 season. He replaced Danny Ainge, who stepped down from the position after nearly two decades.

In his three seasons in his current role, the franchise has won one title and reached the NBA Finals twice.

But despite all the success that the Celtics have enjoyed with Stevens as the team’s president of basketball operations, he admitted that the job isn’t without its challenges. More specifically, he cited his biggest challenge in making the jump from a head coach to an executive.

"The front office has been so solid and been there a while, and we’ve all been there together,” Stevens told the Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach. “So that’s really helped. The things I’m not as good at, we have so many people that are really good at. So it’s been a really fun place to be, a fun place to work. I’ve been thrilled to watch some of our coaches get opportunities elsewhere and been thrilled for our team and our coaches and front office that have put in so much time to get to taste a championship run this year.

"But it never stops. People ask me what the difference is. When you’re a coach you’re on an eight-month sprint and you’re in charge of leading the team or navigating the team and then you’re in charge of your staff. In this job it’s much more of a 12-month job with the cadence of the entire basketball operations. The roster building is such a small part of it that I probably would have underestimated that. I’d say it’s 10 percent of the job, if that, and that’s all anybody talks about.”

Stevens was named the 2023-24 Executive of the Year after Boston finished the regular season with the best record in the NBA at 64-18. In the 2023 offseason, Stevens orchestrated trades that landed Boston Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday.

Further Reading

Sam Cassell Compares Joe Mazzulla's Coaching Style to Doc Rivers'

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Sam Hauser Grateful for Extension with Team That Gave Him His First Chance

Brad Stevens Shares Encouraging Rehab Update on Kristaps Porzingis

Jayson Tatum Opens Up About 'Challenging and Humbling' Olympic Experience

Jrue Holiday Makes History in Team USA's Gold Medal Win

Fenway Sports Group Considering Buying the Celtics

Here's What to Know about Jaylen Brown's Boston XChange

Jayson Tatum Gets Candid about Relationship with Jaylen Brown

Celtics Rookie Anton Watson Shares Brad Stevens' Message to Him

Celtics' Coaching Staff Changes Match Theme of Boston's Offseason