Insurance? Five Assistant Coaches Celtics Could Hire To Aid Joe Mazzulla

The Boston Celtics have a busy offseason ahead.

In coming up short to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals, a litany of issues was either uncovered or birthed for the Celtics. Boston’s continued struggles to play consistent basketball showed up as they fell down 0-3 to an inferior team in terms of talent, while the clock immediately started to tick for president of basketball operations Brad Stevens as he prepares to make some important roster decisions — starting with Jaylen Brown.

The most pressing issue comes on the coaching staff, however, as Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla will be back in 2023-24 but the majority of his assistants will not. Boston assistant coaches Ben Sullivan, Mike Moser and Garrett Jackson are reportedly joining Ime Udoka’s staff with the Houston Rockets, while Aaron Miles and Jarrell Christian have also drawn interest from teams, per NBA writer Michael Scotto.

So, who can the Celtics look to add to Mazzulla’s staff given all the departures? Here are a few options.

Sam Cassell
This is the big fish for Boston.

Sam Cassell is a longtime assistant who has a wealth of NBA experience. The 53-year-old has spent more than 30 years in the league as both a player and coach, knocking on the door of a head coaching job in recent seasons. The ex-Celtics champion, who already has Paul Pierce’s endorsement, is as close as he’ll ever get to free agency, with the Philadelphia 76ers firing Doc Rivers and hiring Nick Nurse, who is expected to bring in a completely new staff to the City of Brotherly Love. Cassell’s arrival would make him the only former NBA player on Boston’s staff, while also giving Mazzulla the top assistant he has been missing since Damon Stoudamire departed in March.

Phil Pressey
Remember that little nugget about the Celtics not having a single former NBA player on their staff?

Phil Pressey could change that. Pressey, who played for the Celtics from 2013-2015, was spotted around Boston’s practice facility during its postseason run and recently started his coaching career with the Missouri Tigers. It’s a relatively under-the-radar move that could be beneficial for the players and coaches around him.

Charles Lee
This one isn’t likely to happen, but it would provide a major boost.

Charles Lee was the top assistant under Mike Budenholzer with the Bucks, which is why they aren’t exactly keen on letting him go. Though Adrian Griffin is the new man in charge in Milwaukee, he could want to keep Lee on to continue his rise through the ranks. If not, the Celtics could jump on one of the biggest names in the hiring cycle for the relatively short time he’ll be available before eventually landing a head coaching gig.

Dave Joerger
The Celtics’ drop in defensive identity doomed them in the postseason.

Why not hire one of the best defensive coaches in the NBA to aid their effort in returning to normalcy? The fact that Dave Joerger remains unemployed is somewhat surprising, as he led one of the best defensive teams in the NBA when with the Memphis Grizzlies. He’s not going to be landing any head coaching gigs anytime soon, so the Celtics could have a great shot at adding him without much trouble.

Stephen Silas
Here’s another coach who spent time around the Celtics during their playoff run.

Stephen Silas, who coached the Rockets from 2020-2023, is one of the longest-tenured coaches in the NBA. The son of Celtics legend Paul Silas, Stephen began his coaching career in 2000 and hasn’t spent a season out of the NBA since. His experience alone is enough to make him a great fit for Boston, but the combination of his knowledge in developing young stars (Lebron James, Stephen Curry and Luka Doncic) and his roots in the city make him the ideal candidate.