Brad Stevens Wants Celtics Stars To ‘Rest, Reflect’ In Offseason

The Boston Celtics changed the DNA of their roster after trading franchise guard Marcus Smart to Memphis in order to acquire center Kristaps Porzingis from Washington.

Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens told NBC Sports Boston’s Chris Forsberg on Friday how he wanted Boston stars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum to spend their offseason.

“I just want then to have a really good offseason,” Stevens told Forsberg. “I think, first of all, it always starts with rest and reflect. You do have to get away.

“I mean we were all the emotional roller coaster of any season, but the emotional roller coaster of this season. And the way it started and the way it ended was really tough. And so, I think all of us, and I’m looking forward to my time, but get a chance to rest and reflect. And I think those guys are both doing that.”

Both Brown and Tatum have their own routines during the offseason and given the departure of Smart, the realistic transition of leadership should fall on the two stars for the upcoming season.

“They both improve every year,” Stevens said. “So that’s the bottom line. We need them to be themselves and they will have to take on even more of leadership roles.”

Leadership on and off the court does not include roster decisions, though. That role is strictly for the front office Stevens said.

“I don’t want to put that on them,” Stevens explained. “It’s not fair. I believe that. At the end of the day, and I’ve told any of our guys that ask this, that’s my job to try and put our best team that we think we can.

“And the more that you ask for input, the more that you talk to people you have a general idea. They really liked our team last year. I hope they really like our team this year. But I don’t want to put that on them. And it’s not fair to them.”