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Boston Celtics news: Grading Brad Stevens’ contract extension

By Duncan Smith

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 05: Head coach Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics directs his team against the Brooklyn Nets during the first half of an NBA basketball game at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 5, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 05: Head coach Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics directs his team against the Brooklyn Nets during the first half of an NBA basketball game at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 5, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images) /
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In the latest Boston Celtics news, the team announced that head coach Brad Stevens signed a contract extension on Wednesday. We’ll take a look at what it means for both coach and team.

It’s Head Coach Extension Day in the NBA on Wednesday. After the Indiana Pacers announced they had extended Nate McMillen, the Boston Celtics followed suit with the announcement that head coach Brad Stevens had signed an extension of his own.

Per team policy, terms weren’t announced, but it was a foregone conclusion that the team would do what it takes to keep Stevens in-house for the long term.

We’ll take a look at what this Celtics news means for both the organization and for Brad Stevens himself and grade it out.

What it means for the Boston Celtics

Rewarding Brad Stevens for being one of the best coaches in the NBA since he stepped on the sideline for the Celtics is a move that had to be made. While there was no way the Celtics would let him get away, the official word that a deal is done makes for one less thing the organization needs to worry about going into a complicated offseason in a year radically impacted by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Stevens began his NBA coaching career with the Celtics, and it’s a virtual certainty the team would like him to end his career in Boston as well.

It was the only move for the team to make, and they did what needed to be done to keep the talented young coach.

Team grade: A+

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What it means for Brad Stevens

Just like the team knew it had to do a deal, so too does Stevens. There likely was no worry about finding an agreeable number for either party.

The 43-year-old coach has been with the Celtics for seven years and has only won less than 48 games twice in his first two NBA seasons. He has a 318-245 record and a winning percentage of 56.5.

Stevens hasn’t had the playoff success to match his regular season track record, going just 27-29, but running into LeBron James in the Eastern Conference playoffs will certainly diminish your postseason resume.

Brad Stevens deserves plenty of credit for the development trajectories of young players like Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, and for leading a 2017-18 team loaded with rookies and minimal contributions from Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward to 55 wins and an Eastern Conference Finals appearance.

There’s also an unmistakable trend of players (especially guards, it seems) leaving Boston for other teams and never being able to return to the heights they attained with the Celtics. While it’s hard to properly accredit that magic, it’s safe to say Brad Stevens is responsible for more than a little bit of it.

No matter the terms of the deal (which, again, aren’t publicly disclosed), this one is a win-win for all parties. This Celtics news is good news indeed.

Stevens’ grade: A+

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