Brad Stevens has been living up to his promise of being an assertive GM for the Boston Celtics. His tenure began in June 2021 with a notable trade that sent Kemba Walker and a first-round pick for Al Horford, marking a departure from the team’s usual approach. This trend continued with trades involving Derrick White, Malcolm Brogdon, and more recently, acquiring Jrue Holiday.
In the past, Stevens’ moves were more like adjustments rather than seismic shifts within the franchise. Walker’s trade, for example, was primarily a salary move due to his health decline. The players traded for White and Brogdon were either young prospects needing room to grow elsewhere or bench veterans who came and went.
However, the recent trades have signaled a fundamental transformation of the Celtics. Notably, the departure of Marcus Smart and the beloved Robert Williams III has been significant. Stevens justified these moves by emphasizing the team’s commitment to winning a championship and their belief in the value of players like Jrue Holiday.
“Gotta pay a good price for things, right? Like, that’s the way it goes, We’re trying to win a championship, trying to be as good as we can be. We certainly did (pay that price) and two picks and two good players, that is a real price. But that’s how good we think Jrue is.”: Stevens said at media day Monday.
"We're trying to win a championship."
Brad Stevens talks about paying "a real price" for Jrue Holiday pic.twitter.com/9jTi3YXIuI
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) October 2, 2023
`Initially, the Celtics believed their offseason work was nearly complete, focusing on the core group and introducing Kristaps Porziņģis while exploring a potential Brogdon move. But the landscape changed with the Damian Lillard trade, putting the Bucks in the favorites’ position and presenting the opportunity to acquire Holiday.
Now, the Celtics boast a formidable top-tier roster with six players capable of performing at a high level in the postseason. The rest of the roster remains a question mark, but it’s clear that the team, after years of building around its core, has undergone a significant transformation.
