Celtics Rumors: Joe Mazzulla’s Job Wasn’t In Danger With Boston

Contrary to speculation, the Celtics might have never considered removing Joe Mazzulla from the head coach’s chair in Boston despite a few costly rough patches during his first season at the helm.

Mazzulla filled in at the last minute, taking over for Ime Udoka before the start of the regular season, tasked with the major challenge of keeping Boston’s ship afloat. Yet, in allowing a No. 1 seed to slip away just to then fall to a Heat team that barely made it to the playoffs, Boston reportedly never doubted Mazulla as its guy, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.

“At the end of the season, there were a lot of people who thought Joe Mazzulla was in some level of trouble — to the point where Brad Stevens needed to say in his press conference interview that (Mazzulla) is coming back,” Windhorst said on “The Hoop Collective” podcast. “Not only was (Mazzulla) never in trouble, Brad Stevens’ biggest moves as the president of the team has been to lean into more of the way Joe Mazzulla wants to play, which is high-volume three-point shooting and offense over defense.”

Boston rewarded Mazzulla’s first-half performance prematurely, removing his interim tag before the All-Star break, establishing their trust in the 35-year-old — the second-youngest NBA head coach at the time — at an early point.

That remained the case even beyond Boston’s dissapointing playoff exit, with the Celtics sticking by Mazzulla and upgrading the coaching staff through various hires, including 2008 NBA champion Sam Cassell. They also upgraded the roster, acquiring All-Star Kristaps Porzingis in a three-team blockbuster trade, forming a potential big three with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

Considering how much Boston has already invested in a run toward Banner 18, it’s likely Mazzulla is envisioned as a vital part of the team’s bigger-picture plans.