Celtics’ Power Dynamic Perfect For Short-Term Success, Not Long-Term

The Boston Celtics seem to have a good thing going, but the pessimist in us wonders how long things will last.

It’s inarguable that Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens has built a team ready for success. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are entering their primes, and they’ll do so with a supporting cast full of former, and perhaps future, All-Star participants. The collection of on-court talent is probably the best in the NBA.

The off-court talent is pretty impressive, as well.

The Celtics’ front office and coaching staff has a pretty ridiculous combined resume. Boston added Jeff Van Gundy, Charles Lee and Sam Cassell to its ranks this offseason, bringing in a combined 59 seasons of NBA experience. There are many who viewed it as a slight toward Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla, who received a ton of flak in his first season heading up the bench.

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There doesn’t seem to be any ill-will held on either side, however.

“Joe is constantly striving to learn and grow,” Stevens told Dan Shaughnessy of The Boston Globe. “When you get a chance to be around Joe every day and watch him with the team and watch him conduct a practice and see the intentionality and focus and purpose of the way this group works, it quickly tells you that this guy is really good.

“Everybody in here believes in Joe, from players to staff and his own staff. I love smart, humble and hard-working people, and there’s an incredible amount of humility with the people that we brought in.”

It’s easy for one to think that there might be a power struggle in Boston, but if all goes to plan, this dynamic could be perfect for the Celtics. Stevens is still clearly the top dog, and he’ll have full reign over how the C’s operate off the court. Mazzulla will lead the way on the court, with Lee and Cassell each bringing experience as top assistants — already showcasing their ability to help individual players. Van Gundy is said to have his hands in all aspects, with a fresh (unfiltered) voice very much needed in Boston.

They can’t continue like that forever, though.

It is expected that Lee and Cassell will each obtain head coaching jobs in the very near future, if not next season. That’s probably for the best, as Mazzulla will certainly expect to have his voice amplified as he continues to gain experience in his current role.

If those guys don’t leave, things could get dicey. There’s simply too many cooks in the kitchen right now, and after a while it could become a real issue for the guy in charge. Mazzulla has rolled with the punches so far, and might not be keen on continuing if he finds individual success.

That’s a problem for another day, though. In 2023-24, it’s all about Banner 18.