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Brad Stevens needs to upgrade the Boston Celtics by the trade deadline

By Justin Trombino

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - NOVEMBER 24: Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics looks on before a game against the Brooklyn Nets at TD Garden on November 24, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Maddie Malhotra/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - NOVEMBER 24: Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics looks on before a game against the Brooklyn Nets at TD Garden on November 24, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Maddie Malhotra/Getty Images) /
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Boston Celtics, Brad Stevens
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 01: Head coach Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics reacts against the Brooklyn Nets in Game Five of the First Round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs at Barclays Center on June 01, 2021 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. 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 Steven Ryan/Getty Images) /

When the Boston Celtics promoted Brad Stevens to the front office, it was expected that he could re-tool and fix a team that he coached and put together for the last eight years. In his first season as President of Basketball Operations, the time is just about right for Stevens to do just that… re-tool.

The overall plan needs to be to give Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown a third star in order to propel the Boston Celtics to higher heights. There’s much speculation of splitting up the All-Star duo, but that just doesn’t make sense. The pairing of Tatum and Brown once led Boston to two Eastern Conference Finals in three years.

The Boston Celtics can upgrade their team without splitting apart their All-Star duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown

The Boston Celtics never had a true point guard to start the season. The plan for Marcus Smart to run the team on both ends of the court just hasn’t come to fruition. Boston ranks 22nd in assists per game and 23rd in points created per game, which is good for 59.5 assisted points per game.

The Celtics are making 12.4 of the 36.6 shots they are taking from behind the arc this season. That is a measly 34 percent, ranking them near the bottom of the league (eighth-worst). We’ve seen how lethal three-point shooting can take over games – remember the last time they played Utah?

Boston currently sits at 16-18 record and has hovered around .500 all season and for the second straight year. First-year head coach Ime Udoka has struggled to create a consistent rotation.

The rotation was an issue prior to the team being infiltrated by COVID. Udoka has failed to utilize his full roster to its potential. And for a while, he was only playing a select few players from the bench, which we’re seeing has been exhausting his players.

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