Brad Stevens steps away from coaching to run Celtics’ front office

Brad Stevens, the former Butler head coach who has been leading the Boston Celtics since 2013, is stepping down to become the Celtics’ President of Basketball Operations. Stevens is replacing Danny Ainge, who announced his retirement on Wednesday.

“I’m grateful to ownership and to Danny for trusting me with this opportunity,” Stevens said in a statement. “I’m excited to tackle this new role, starting with a wide ranging and comprehensive search for our next head coach. I love the Celtics, and know the great honor and responsibility that comes with this job. I will give it everything I have to help us be in position to consistently compete for championships.”

Stevens went 354-282 in eight seasons and reached the Playoffs (going 38-40 overall) in seven of those eight. The Celtics reached the Eastern Conference Finals in 2017 and 2018, but lost to LeBron and the Cavaliers both years.

This is a definite promotion for Stevens, who goes from managing the Xs and Os to managing the entire organization. His first orders of business will be to hire his replacement and begin prep for the upcoming 2021 NBA Draft.

credit to BostonCeltics.com for the image