The Celtics left the 2020/21 season in the first round of the final phase and, as soon as the defeat was confirmed and the fact that they were a year away from the title, the organization has made decisions. The scheme changes. Danny Ainge, adored by many in a historical context as a green player in the past and reviled by those who believe that he was wrong when it came to negotiating signings, he is no longer there. Historic Boston has given way to Brad Stevens, who was the coach until recently and now becomes president of basketball operations. The first move, shock: Kemba Walker, traded to the Thunder in exchange for Al Horford, Moses Brown and saving some money for the future. There has not been a long wait. We are talking about the franchise with the most titles in the history of the NBA along with the Lakers, decisions are made quickly and with force. A new manager is being sought to continue the era that Stevens, with a reputed past in the NCAA with Butler but not so successful in the NBA, has left behind.
Three current NBA assistants, Chauncey Billups (Clippers), Ime Udoka (Nets) y Darvin Ham (Bucks), are the candidates after the promising Jerome Allen was discarded on Stevens’ coaching staff and now sidelined by himself, who has gone to the Pistons.
But what damage has happened what has happened in recent months. And not these last weeks, but months. If you hurry, years. The culture that has been created around the team has been volatile and has been blown up. Jared Weiss (The Athletic) He explains in an article several of the problems that those involved have encountered along the way and that he has ended up exploding a block that seemed immovable and that he has in Kemba Walker his first victim but not his last.
Part by part:
· Hayward. The forward, who has regained his tone for the Hornets this season, has been close to Brad Stevens since they met in college. Before leaving, something he did in the last market between seasons, the player advised the manager that he had to be tougher, that he had to raise his voice more if they wanted to win. Stevens is a reserved man and the role of bad cop is neither flattering nor credible for him.
· Walker. The receiver of much of Stevens’ new toughness was the point guard, which is supposed to be his extension on the court. Kemba Walker’s campaign has been very bad, not at the height of the All-Star where he had already settled, although the physical discomfort has reduced him excessively. According to the sources, the fault of the passivity in defense fell too many times on him and the relationship with the coach, although at the beginning it was one of mutual respect and productive, it became very tense and the crashes were common.
· Smart. Somewhat angry, Marcus Smart is the perfect example of what they wanted to implant in the Celtics. Attitude, sometimes too much, and palpable results in attack and defense. The information highlights that Smart was left alone in the attempt to involve the rest of his teammates in this adventure, as was clear in the bubble with his fight in the locker room with Jaylen Brown. He was one of Stevens’ favorites, believing that he was favored more than other important members of the squad, and even Ainge, despite his desire to transfer him on several occasions.
· Tatum. You have to keep the great star happy and two great friends have already left, Javonte Green and Kemba Walker, and the arrival of Al Horford leaves the door open for Tristan Thompson, another of those who has got on well with him. season.
· Griffin. Seeing that he was going to leave the Pistons, eventually ending up with the Nets, he asked a contact on the Celtics roster. The answer was negative: the recommendation, not to sign for the Celtics because it was a dysfunctional team.
· Irving. Within the squad, Kyrie Irving’s gesture of stepping on the logo during the tie against the Nets was taken lightly, something that ignited the fans and senior officials of the franchise.
Internal criticism does not stop there. Some players had lost respect for Brad Stevens as a coach, this being one of the most outstanding in the League for his strategy and improvisation capacity during games. The treatment of the center line with Thompson, Williams and Theis, which ended up being transferred to the Bulls, for example, has been questioned. The strategy has also been criticized in the clarifications, in which they were “stuck”, and the offense proposed by the coaching staff has been classified as “college school game” in reference to Stevens’ past. Much to rebuild, especially inside, in Boston.
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