Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said Monday that he made every move in his new role — including trading Kemba Walker and Al Horford as a first-round draft pick for the Oklahoma City Thunder — with one goal in mind. Will go : Maximizing the talents of All-Star Wing Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
"The ability to improve our wings is going to be a big part of the people who will be around them," Stevens said in his first public remarks on Monday since signing the Walker deal three days ago.
This was a significant move as Stevens began his tenure atop Boston's organizational depth charts, replacing Danny Ange, moving from a player the Celtics had two years earlier to replace Kyrie Irving as the team's floor general. The maximum contract was signed for. .
Stevens eventually concluded that the financial flexibility created by swapping Walker and Horford saved at least $20 million over the next two seasons – due to Horford's fit in Boston – rather than waiting to see what happened. What could have been more, made it a deal worth making now. down the line.
But Stevens acknowledged it wasn't an easy move—in part because of his personal affinity for Walker, as well as the likes of any player in the league.
"Well, I guess that's part of the job changing, right?" Stevens said when asked about his new responsibility to the players to move on. "It's difficult. Because I really — for example, really really like Kemba, period, the ending of the story. He's a super likable person.
“[But] we had to look at this year with the idea of moving that first round pick, it gave us a chance to look the way forward with a few more options, from a financial flexibility standpoint, with the picks, all this year. of our future first round selections, which again gives you more options. And then this was the best deal we thought of with regards to the players returning, right?al the opportunity to add, which is quite a bit less money. earns but a really good player who has corporate knowledge of this environment, really excited to be back in Boston and have a great experience not only playing with our guys but also making them better.. His greatest strength is his influence on others and his ability to lift others.
“In return for having the ability to achieve this and gain the financial flexibility going forward, the cost, right, was to find someone you really like and choose a first round.”
Stevens coached Horford for three years after the Celtics stayed away from the Atlanta Hawks as a free agent as a consolation prize for missing out on signing Kevin Durant in 2016.
Although he struggled to fit in next to Joel Embiid after he joined the 76ers in 2019, Horford still seemed very dominant when he played at center last season with Philadelphia and Oklahoma City – where He averaged 14.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 28. Before the game both he and the team mutually agreed to shut him down.
Stevens said he expects Horford's version to come to Boston, adding at times that Horford is "very excited" to be back in Boston and that his versatility could allow the Celtics to play alongside other big men, Including emerging young talent Robert Williams. .
"Al can move the needle," Stevens said. "Al's had a good year at Oklahoma City - obviously didn't play a ton of games, but statistically was a year that obviously applies across the board. I think sometimes space, pass, different The ability to play in ways and to play the other end in different coverage, to be able to play with other big guys or alone 5 I think is something like ... he just has a wealth of experience."
While Stevens said he is still considering adding his front office down the road, he declined to go into any details about the current search for his replacement on the bench in Boston, saying that It would be unfair for those involved to speak about it publicly first. He was done.
"I realize there's a lot of speculation and everything else, but in fairness to the people who are under consideration, I want to make sure we're doing it the right way," Stevens said. . . "There will be a time and place to talk about that."