Ultimately, it might come down to this: Brad Stevens no longer was the right coach to lead the Celtics.
Boston on Wednesday promoted the 44-year-old to president of basketball operations with Danny Ainge retiring from the position. Since the announcement, we've learned about potential candidates to fill the coaching vacancy, and ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Stevens had been "worn down" by coaching in recent months.
Fellow ESPN NBA insider Jordan Schultz also offered context on Stevens's decision to stop coaching the Celtics.
"Celtics view of Brad Stevens is as follows: He's undoubtedly a (great) basketball mind," Schultz tweeted. "That's why he's replacing Ainge. The second, however, is that Stevens lost the locker room even before this season's collapse. Both parties agree the front office will best highlight his skill set."
So, what served as the catalyst for Stevens's losing of the locker room? How do Boston's foundational pieces, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, feel about their former head coach now leading basketball operations?
Hopefully we get some answers in the coming days.
