Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens has done wonders for the organization ever since making the switch from head coach to front office head honcho three years ago.
Stevens, after being directed by majority owner Wyc Grousbeck following the 2023 NBA playoffs, completely transformed Boston’s roster. Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday were brought in through blockbuster trades, giving co-stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown a fresh pair of established veterans to welcome — and that’s on top of the 2022 fleece trade with the San Antonio Spurs to acquire Derrick White.
Still, when The Athletic surveyed 40 league executives, anonymously, the voting results were shocking. Not to mention, this comes after the Celtics captured the Larry O’Brien trophy and nearly retained the entirety of their championship-winning roster.
Here’s where Boston’s front office ranked amongst the rest:
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
2. Boston Celtics
3. Miami Heat
4. Memphis Grizzlies
5. Minnesota Timberwolves
6. New York Knicks
7. Orlando Magic
8. Cleveland Cavaliers
9. Golden State Warriors
10. San Antonio Spurs
Brown, after a 2022-23 season of looming doubt with an expiring contract on the horizon, signed a five-year, $304 million supermax contract. Tatum, this past offseason, too, committed to the Celtics by signing a five-year, $315 million supermax extension — the largest in league history. Granted, those are surefire moves to make, however, Stevens doesn’t just rely on the safe bets. He signed Payton Pritchard to a four-year, $30 million just prior to the start of last season, immediately after the undersized guard averaged a career-low in points, rebounds, assists and field-goal percentage.
Now, Pritchard is regarded as the early favorite in the Sixth Man of the Year conversation, averaging a career-high 16.5 points on 48.8% shooting, making the 27-year-old the NBA’s leader in scoring for players coming off the bench. He dropped a 27-point, 10-assist double-double during Thursday’s win over the Detroit Pistons to mark Boston’s fourth victory in its last five games.
Stevens didn’t just lead the charge in ending the franchise’s 16-year title drought, he ensured that Boston’s championship window wouldn’t close anytime soon by going full-throttle and keeping the cast intact. The Celtics are positioned to turn Banner 18 into the foundation of a dynasty, the league’s first since Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and the Golden State Warriors.
So far, no other front office has put itself on the map with Boston in that fashion. Sure, Oklahoma City has ripped a page from Danny Ainge’s book in hoarding its basement full of draft picks but until said picks pan out and a banner is raised. But Stevens and company are still the reigning champions.
