No doubt about it, the Boston Celtics are in a rut.
The team finds itself at 15-16 after a tough start to the season. They’ve been riddled by injuries, and as we’re starting to see, a lot of issues beyond just that on both sides of the ball.
As a result, fans are growing impatient. Not just with the players themselves, but coach Brad Stevens and president of basketball operations Danny Ainge have received their fair share of criticism
On Twitter, you see comments about what Stevens is getting out of his players during games and the roster Ainge assembled in the aftermath of Gordon Hayward leaving.
Ainge in particular has taken on a lot of this blame, but it doesn’t look like either employee of the Celtics has to worry about their job.
In case that weren’t already obvious, majority team owner Wyc Grousbeck clarified the fact on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s “Felger & Mazz,” reacting to anyone calling for Stevens’ or Ainge’s job.
“Well, if I’m the one who has to make the decision, I’m the one that has to live with the change and say, ‘Oh my god, I let somebody go,'” Grousbeck said.
“Either one of those guys would be nearly the top candidate in the league for the job. It doesn’t matter who else is out there. They’re our guys and we’re sticking with them. And it was not even a question in my mind.”
That’s a good point. And to take it a step further, who would you even replace them with that would be a better option than what Ainge and Stevens bring to the table?
Sure, this roster has some issues, but Ainge has proven time and time again that he is an above average general manager, to say the least.
He drafted Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, after all, which already is looking like the most brilliant decision of his career. And it’s Stevens who has had a huge part in the wing duo’s development, as noted by Grousbeck.
“I talk to Danny and Brad all the time, I feel very connected to those guys, and I look at just the facts of it,” Grousbeck said. “I look at, we took in two 19 year olds, you know, Jaylen Brown first and then Jayson Tatum. There was questions about drafting both of them, questions about what they could be. And they’re both deserved All-Stars right now. It shows yet again, every time I’m asked about Brad, I mention that guys have career years with Brad. And the developing of those two 19-year-olds is, first and foremost, to their own credit. But secondly, it’s to Brad’s credit.”
Well, that settles that argument.
