The Celtics reportedly tried to recruit a former New York Knicks and Houston Rockets head coach for Joe Mazzulla’s staff.
Charles Lee and Sam Cassell already were brought on this offseason to be the top assistants on Mazzulla’s staff as the 35-year-old enters his second season as Boston head coach. However, the Celtics also tried to get Jeff Van Gundy, who recently was let go by ESPN, on their staff before filling up their positions, according to Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix on Thursday.
Mannix added the Dallas Mavericks also tried to pursue the former ESPN broadcaster, and the Washington Wizards are a candidate to hire Van Gundy, who would return to coaching for the first time since 2007 if he were to take the assistant gig.
The key theme for the new hires Boston made was experience. Lee has been a coach for over a decade, and Cassell has three decades of experience as a player and as a coach. Van Gundy ideally would have brought the same for Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla, who received criticism for his in-game adjustments.
It’s possible Van Gundy finds another job at a different network after being let go by ESPN, but it looks like this is the offseason that will determine if Van Gundy wants to get back into coaching in the NBA again.
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