Brad Stevens Report Card: Grading Four Key Celtics Roster Moves

The Boston Celtics have just 25 games remaining after compiling an NBA-best 45-12 record to lead the Eastern Conference and establish themselves as the team to beat this season.

Few have competed with the Celtics throughout the regular season and even fewer have escaped victorious in a head-to-head matchup. However, the new and improved team results are to be credited to the efforts of one man: Boston president of basketball operations Brad Stevens.

Since moving from the sidelines to the front office, Stevens has consistently been proactive and aggressive in positioning the Celtics for a deep run at Banner 18. That didn’t stop this past offseason as Stevens worked with team governor Wyc Grousbeck to attack the market and spare no expense to ensure the team wouldn’t be halted by any of the deficiencies that saw Boston fall just a win shy of an NBA Finals appearance last season.

Stevens even made a few complimentary additions in Xavier Tillman and Jaden Springer at the trade deadline. But now, with the season heading for its tail end, let’s grade the four most important transactions Stevens oversaw before the Celtics erupted as the most lethal offense the NBA has to offer.

Kristaps Porzingis (acquired for Marcus Smart, Danilo Gallinari, Mike Muscala and the No. 35 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft):
There isn’t a better No. 3 option across the league and Kristaps Porzingis continues to make that clear time whenever a wide-open three or pick-and-roll with teammate Jaylen Brown, presents itself.

Porzingis joined the Celtics with looming injury concerns and the team helped alleviate those by managing his playing time through occasional off nights — a luxury Boston’s depth provides. But even despite having missed 15 games, the 28-year-old has assembled an All-Star-caliber stat line, averaging 20.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and two assists while shooting a career-high (and stunning) 52.7% from the field with a 60% effective field goal percentage.

Having gone through a multitude of short-term stints with players — Aron Baynes, Greg Monroe, Daniel Theis, Enes Freedom and Tacko Fall — all within the past few seasons, it was clear the Celtics needed a reliable frontcourt presence. Porzingis has been all that plus more, giving Boston the best starting center it has had since Kevin Garnett.

The deal came at the obvious and emotional expense of parting ways with Marcus Smart, but even the former Celtics fan-favorite supports Stevens and his efforts in hindsight.

“If it was me, I’d make the same business decision as well,” Smart admitted before his TD Garden return with the Memphis Grizzlies. “… At the end of the day, I’m a businessman as well.”

Final grade: A+

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Jrue Holiday (acquired for Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams III, 2024 first-round pick from the Golden State Warriors and unprotected 2029 first-rounder):
With Smart gone, left a major part of the defensive identity that went away from the Celtics a bit between the 2022 and 2023 seasons, therefore, Stevens wasn’t content with the team’s guard depth.

That’s where Jrue Holiday entered the picture.

Holiday’s availability came out of the blue after the Milwaukee Bucks shipped him to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Damian Lillard. That opened the door that Stevens kicked down, landing the three-time All-Defensive First Team veteran, again, for a risky package that’s since aged in Boston’s favor throughout the season.

Now, the Celtics have the best defensive backcourt in the NBA, with Holiday (0.7) ranked fourth in blocks among guards alongside White (1.2), who leads the league. The two are efficient on both ends of the floor, routinely putting the Celtics above all else while not prioritizing personal accolades.

The theme of sacrifice has propelled Boston and the 33-year-old has been at the forefront since Opening Night.

Holiday has made 52 starts, averaging 13 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.8 assists, shooting 47.5% from the field and 44% from three as the corner specialist of head coach Joe Mazzulla’s offense.

Final grade: B+

Jaylen Brown (re-signed to record-setting five-year, $304 million extension):
After a rumor-filled season of speculation and outsider chitchat, the Celtics slid Brown an NBA-record $304 million to remain in Boston in the offseason.

Stevens refused to break up the Brown-Jayson Tatum tandem, sticking with the vision that former front office head honcho Danny Ainge envisioned, and it continued to pay off. The previous worries about whether or not Boston’s co-stars could A) co-exist and B) allow others to flourish as well, are no longer relevant. Instead, the conversation centers around Boston’s league lead in offensive rating (121.2), net rating (10.5) and 3-pointers made (16.3).

Without Brown’s willingness to put personal scoring numbers aside, none of that would exist and we’d be watching a much different Celtics team.

Brown, a now-three-time All-Star and commendable dunk contest participant has averaged 22.1 points with 6.8 rebounds and a team-leading 1.1 steals through 52 starts. The maturity and growth are as apparent as Brown’s athleticism, making the dollar figure of Boston’s extension more and more of a non-factor.

Final grade: A-

Payton Pritchard (re-signed to four-year, $30 million extension):
Last season, the conversation surrounding Payton Pritchard was where the backup guard would land in the trade market, but that’s quickly changed.

Pritchard’s wishes were granted and with a long-awaited payday came a promotion in Boston’s depth chart, allowing the 26-year-old to consistently play on a nightly basis. Of course, that helped raise Pritchard’s previously-sunken stock value, but it also benefitted the Celtics in a critical way.

Taking a risk in dishing out a $30 million raise after essentially serving no role in the prior season gave Pritchard the necessary motivation to live up to the contract. Off the bench, Pritchard’s averaged a career-best eight points with 3.1 rebounds while shooting 43.5% from the field and leading the Celtics with a 4.5 assist-to-turnover ratio.

While star power is a must-have, depth also cannot be undervalued.

The Celtics don’t need to worry about that — among a handful of other things — and it’s all thanks to Stevens.

Final grade: B-