NBA Rumors: Red Claws To Hire This Ex-Celtics Assistant As Head Coach

Darren Erman’s third stint in the Boston Celtics’ organization won’t be like his previous two.

The Maine Red Claws, Boston’s NBA G League affiliate, will hire the former Celtics assistant as their head coach, The Athletic’s Jay King and Jared Weiss reported Friday, citing an NBA source.

Erman has forged a reputation as a defensive specialist during stints with the Celtics, Golden State Warriors and New Orleans Pelicans organizations. The Red Claws’ job will be his first as a head coach.

Erman worked for the Celtics between 2007 and 2011 in various capacities, including as an assistant under head coach Doc Rivers. He helped Boston win the NBA championship in 2008 and contend for titles in subsequent seasons.

He joined the Warriors in 2013, but then-head coach Mark Jackson fired him during his first season with the team. Erman returned to the Celtics in 2014 as their director of scouting, but the Pelicans lured him south a year later when they named him associate head coach. He served New Orleans in that capacity for the last four seasons.

The Celtics added Brandon Bailey to their coaching staff earlier this month, and Erman reportedly will replace him at the Red Claws’ helm. Recent history has shown the Celtics often source their assistant coaches from Maine, so no one should be surprised if Boston also promotes Erman to its ranks in the not-too-distant future.