The Boston Celtics will be searching for a new head coach this offseason, but Brad Stevens is not leaving the organization. Instead, it appears he will be responsible for choosing his successor and building the team’s roster going forward.
Longtime Celtics general manager and president of basketball operations Danny Ainge is stepping down from his role, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. The plan is for Stevens to take over Ainge’s job on a full-time basis and lead the search for Boston’s next head coach.
Brad Stevens is moving from his head coaching role to leading the Celtics basketball operations — and Stevens will lead the search for the Celtics‘ new head coach, sources said. https://t.co/U74E2VBLfo
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 2, 2021
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who first reported on Wednesday that Ainge is considering stepping down, says Ainge has been contemplating his future for months and discussing succession plans with Boston’s ownership group.
Ainge has been contemplating leaving the job for several months and had been talking about possible succession plans with ownership, sources tell ESPN. Stevens turns out to be the franchise's choice. Ainge also moved from head coaching in the NBA to the front office with Phoenix.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 2, 2021
Wojnarowski added that Stevens has been described as “worn down” with coaching since the bubble last year and welcomed the opportunity to transition to a front office role.
The Celtics were one of the most disappointing teams in the NBA this season, and there had been talk that Stevens could lose his job. Ainge repeatedly defended the coach.
Stevens has likely known for some time that this would be his future with the Celtics. That would certainly help explain why he reportedly turned down a massive offer from a top college program.
Ainge has been a part of Boston’s front office since 2003 and was credited for helping the team win a title in 2008. He also played for Boston from 1981-1989 and won two championships with the Celtics as a player.
