The Boston Celtics almost went a surprising route on their coaching staff
The Boston Celtics apparently could have had a very different-looking coaching staff next season.
That’s even compared to what they’ve already done to replenish their stable next to head coach Joe Mazzulla. They’ve already added veteran coach/former player Sam Cassell as a top assistant to Mazzulla, as well as former Bucks coach Charles Lee and newcomer Phil Pressey.
Jayson Tatum talks with head coach Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics during Game 7 of the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals at TD Garden. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
A new report suggests that Mazzulla’s staff could have had a big-time infusion of experience, and from a surprising source.
According to Chris Mannix at SI, the Celtics talked to now-former ESPN analyst Jeff Van Gundy about possibly joining the coaching staff before making their off-season hires. The way Mannix words the report implies that the door on Van Gundy-to-Boston is now closed, if it was ever really open to begin with:
“Jeff Van Gundy, a cost-cutting casualty at ESPN last week, has been actively exploring a return to coaching, sources tell Sports Illustrated. Van Gundy, who last coached in the NBA in 2007, has been discussing assistant coaching jobs with several teams. Dallas and Boston discussed roles with Van Gundy before beefing up their coaching staffs.”
Head coach Jeff Van Gundy of the 2019 USA Men’s Select Team yells to players during an exhibition game on Aug. 9, 2019. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Mannix’s report also indicates that, while likely not in Boston, Van Gundy sounds interested in returning to the NBA coaching ranks somewhere. He hasn’t coached in the NBA since 2006-07 with the Houston Rockets, but he’s best known for his 13 seasons with the New York Knicks, which included a berth in the 1999 NBA Finals as head coach.
Van Gundy also coached Team USA as recently as 2019, when they qualified for the FIBA World Cup. So it’s not like he’s been out of coaching for almost 20 years. But it sounds like if and when he returns to coaching, it won’t be with the Celtics.
Resetting the Boston Celtics' depth charts after the first wave of free agency
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics celebrate during Game 2 of the 2022 Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Milwaukee Bucks at TD Garden. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
The Boston Celtics’ depth charts are going to look quite different in the 2023-24 season, after President of Basketball Ops Brad Stevens made a major roster shakeup with the swap of Marcus Smart for Kristaps Porzingis in a three-team trade.
Here’s an early look at how the Celtics’ depth charts look after a relatively quiet start to free agency…
Point Guard
Derrick White (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
Derrick White
Malcolm Brogdon
Payton Pritchard
Dalano Banton
JD Davison
We’ll see if Stevens has an appetite for yet another big move at this position. But the safe bet, here, is that the Celtics move forward with Derrick White as their starting point guard and Malcolm Brogdon resuming his award-winning “sixth man” role.
This should also mean more minutes for Payton Pritchard, whose playing time has decreased in each of the past two seasons. Pritchard averaged just 13.4 minutes per game in the 2022-23 season and admitted he was hoping to be traded at the deadline in order to get on the floor more. If he stays in Boston, he should certainly get an uptick in minutes with Smart gone.
Payton Pritchard during the second half against the Atlanta Hawks at TD Garden on April 9, 2023. (Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
The depth chart could still be subject to change at this position. Jayson Tatum is rumored to be trying to recruit Damian Lillard to force a trade from Portland to Boston. Boston was also believed to be interested in Patrick Beverley, who ended up signing with the Sixers.
We’ll see if Stevens has it in him to make one more big move at point guard. But in all likelihood, the Celtics are promoting White and will add cheap veteran depth, if anything. However, Stevens is looking at a thin group out there in free agency after making just one minor signing. (UPDATE: According to Shams Charania, the Celtics are signing free-agent point guard Dalano Banton to a two-year deal.
Malcolm Brogdon of the Boston Celtics controls the ball ahead of Duncan Robinson of the Miami Heat during Game 4 of the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals. (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
If second-year pro JD Davison, a 2022 second-round pick out of Alabama, is going to make headway on the team, this could be his best opportunity to do that. He can potentially fill some of the void left by Smart’s passing and hustling, while Pritchard and Brogdon’s futures in Boston both seem uncertain.
Shooting Guard
Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics dunks the ball against the Miami Heat during Game 5 of the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals at TD Garden. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Jaylen Brown
Payton PritchardWhile Brown is the clear lead guy at the 2-guard role, this spot is a better opportunity for Pritchard to get more minutes. Brogdon and White will also be able to mix and match their particular roles in the backcourt.
But as far as pure shooting guards who can consistently score in a variety of ways, Brown and Pritchard are the Celtics’ best bets. Brown is entering the final year of his contract and is eligible for the “supermax,” so his future, and the team’s future at his position, are major considerations entering the 2023-24 season.
Small Forward
Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics during Game 7 of the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat at TD Garden. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Jayson Tatum
Sam Hauser
Oshae Brissett
Jordan WalshTatum can fully take over the team as their identity and leader, now that Smart isn’t there for his mere presence to potentially get in the way of that. He’s clearly their best offensive player with the highest potential as a two-way superstar, and should be considered the NBA’s best pure wing entering the 2023-24 campaign.
Hauser, meanwhile, may not be the most versatile player, but he was an excellent shooter off the bench. His 41.8 percent rate from three ranked 13th in the NBA. The C’s also made former Pacers forward Oshae Brissett their only signing of the first weekend of free agency.
Walsh, the Celtics’ second-round pick in the 2023 draft, isn’t likely to make much of an impact as a rookie, other than occasionally infusing some defense and energy off the bench.
Power Forward
Al Horford of the Boston Celtics dribbles against the Phoenix Suns at TD Garden on Feb. 3, 2023. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Al Horford
Kristaps PorzingisHorford is placed above Porzingis at power forward, because when both are on the floor, it makes the most sense to park Porzingis under the rim at center. When only Porzingis is on the floor, he can easily slide into a stretch four role.
With Porzingis in the fold and clearly their top scoring option in the frontcourt, this should open up plenty of opportunities for Horford to knock down open shots. Horford can also focus more on defense with Porzingis handling a lot of the shooting.
The concerns here are health and age. Horford is now 37 years old, while Porzingis has a worrisome injury history. They’re asking a lot of Horford at this spot on the roster. But he’s shown the capability to be a versatile and useful piece of the frontcourt well into his 30s, so as long as he’s out there, he’s worthy of being depended upon to contribute.
Center
Kristaps Porzingis of the Washington Wizards dunks against the Boston Celtics during a game at Capital One Arena on March 28, 2023. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Kristaps Porzingis
Robert Williams III
Luke KornetSpeaking of health, injuries…Porzingis and Williams III represent perhaps the most volatile 1-2 big man combo in the NBA when it comes to durability. But if and when they share the floor, as Porzingis slides over to power forward, the Celtics would have one of the league’s most dynamic and versatile frontcourts at both ends of the floor.
It’ll be exciting to see what the C’s are capable of when they have both Porzingis and Williams out on the floor. But the obvious and real concern is, they’re an injury or two away from Luke Kornet playing significant minutes. So, keeping both bigs healthy and fresh throughout the season will be of paramount importance.
What’s Next?
Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens looks on before Game 5 of the 2022 Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Milwaukee Bucks at TD Garden. (Maddie Malhotra/Getty Images)
Of course, these depth charts remain subject to change. We reserve the right to continually reset them as more moves are made. Stevens and the Celtics could stand to add veteran depth, really at any spot in the lineup.
It would behoove Stevens to bring in a point guard who can replace some of Smart’s strengths – defense, passing, energy. With Danilo Gallinari officially gone as part of the Porzingis/Smart trade, more reliable wing scoring off the bench might be a good idea. And in the frontcourt, they could use a guy who simply has a history of being durable and available.
READ MORE:
— Celtics extend Kristaps Porzingis
— Malcolm Brogdon injury update
— Kristaps Porzingis gets new number
Stevens might just have trouble finding the kind of players he needs in free agency, at this point. For the rest of the off-season, Stevens may have to look into trades. And we know he’s not afraid to do that.
