The best and worst of Brad Stevens’ front office

It has been a captivating few years for Brad Stevens since he took over as Celtics GM and President of Basketball Operations. It’s an unattainable job to do completely, however from the skin wanting in, it’s simple to see that he has a knack for the job.

He’s made massive trades, eclectic draft picks, however most significantly, he’s constructed elite rosters. With one other offseason coming to an finish, let’s look again at Brad Stevens greatest trades and see if he got here out on prime.

Kristaps Porzingis commerce:

Boston Celtics acquired: Kristaps Porzingis, 2023 1st, top-4 protected 2024 1stMemphis Grizzlies acquired: Marcus SmartWashington Wizards acquired: Tyus Jones, Danilo Gallinari, Mike Muscala, 2023 2nd

We’ll begin with the latest headliner. Buying Kristaps Porzingis for Marcus Good will doubtless go down as a defining commerce second for the Brad Steven’s Celtics. Not solely are you transferring on from a pillar of the group in Good, however KP indicators a large change in the best way the Celtics will play basketball for the subsequent couple seasons at a minimal.

Now, we’re within the enterprise of giving grades and saying who received and misplaced a commerce, so with out basketball having been performed, this stays an incomplete. On paper, buying KP for mainly Good, Gallinari, and Muscala is a fairly excellent return. We received’t know concerning the metaphorical adjustments with Good going till we, once more, get into the season. For now, I say we give the Celtics the successful shade and regulate accordingly later.

Grade: IncompleteWinner: N/A

Al Horford commerce:

Celtics acquired: Al Horford, Moses Brown, 2023 2ndThunder acquired: Kemba Walker, 2021 1st, 2025 2nd

We began with the latest commerce of Brad Stevens tenure, how concerning the first commerce he made? Turning Kamba Walker’s contract and his knee points into Al Hoford stays not just one the perfect trades of Steven’s profession, however actually of any commerce made previously few years. Horford has as soon as once more develop into an integral a part of the Celtics rotation. His protection, 3-point capturing, and management are mainly irreplaceable on this Celtics roster. It’s onerous to think about this group with out him and re-acquiring him within the first place has confirmed to be a grasp stroke. This can be a fairly simple A+ grade. Celtics come out as massive winners.

Grade: A+Winner: Celtics

Derrick White commerce:

Celtics acquired: Derrick WhiteSpurs acquired: Josh Richardson, Romeo Langford, 2022 1st, 2028 1st swap

The Derrick White deal was the primary commerce Stevens made that was met with a good quantity of preliminary backlash. Josh Richardson, Romeo Langford, a 1st spherical choose, and one other potential choose swap for simply Derrick White was not initially standard among the many lots. Hilariously, most individuals have been fearful concerning the choose swap six seasons sooner or later. Fortunately, there may be nothing to fret about anymore. Derrick White has gotten higher by the season and now enters his 2nd full season with the group, changing into the de facto beginning PG with Good out the door. His 3-point capturing and courtroom imaginative and prescient have each improved since becoming a member of Boston, including onto his already elite perimeter and rim protection. I feel it’s protected to say that that is one other A+ commerce and a giant win for Stevens.

Grade: A+Winner: Celtics

Malcolm Brogdon commerce:

Celtics acquired: Malcolm BrogdonPacers acquired: Aaron Nesmith, Daniel Theis, Nik Stauskas, Malik Fitts, Juwan Morgan, 2023 1st

Wanting again on this commerce, it’s a bit surprising that the Celtics have been capable of purchase Brogdon for what in the end grew to become Aaron Neismith and a primary spherical choose. Brogdon had just a few seasons in a row with harm points, so Stevens positively took benefit of his price ticket and acquired him for about 75 cents on the greenback. Brogdon was a giant piece of the 2022 Celtics, however his harm points caught as much as him as soon as once more, as his elbow harm severely inhibited his play in the course of the Jap Convention Finals. This can be a powerful commerce to evaluate. It was positively a win of Stevens and the Celtics, however I’m unsure I’d name it the identical degree of success because the White or Horford trades. Let’s grade it a B/B+ for now and reevaluate as soon as the reigning Sixth Man of the Yr is wholesome once more.

Grade: B/B+Winner: Celtics

Mike Muscala commerce:

Celtics acquired: Mike MuscalaThunder acquired: Justin Jackson, 2023 2nd, 2029 2nd

We’ll preserve it fast on this one. Muscala was the large ticket acquisition on the commerce deadline for the Celtics and by “massive ticket” I imply it was all they may purchase after buying and selling their 1st spherical choose for Brogdon just a few months earlier. Muscala barely performed, however he did find yourself being a pleasant commerce piece to make use of in the course of the Kristaps commerce. I feel we can provide this one a C and provides the Thunder the win since they acquired just a few belongings for Muscala.

Grade: CWinner: Thunder

And that it’s to this point! To this point, Stevens has a 4-1 report in his trades with all 4 wins being main elements of his successful roster with out giving up main long-term belongings. For me, I say the Al Horford commerce remains to be his most interesting. Flipping the Kemba contract to deliver again a man that has outlined an period of Celtics basketball and him taking his sport up one other notch is a factor a magnificence. It set the stage for the three different massive trades he made and his dealing with of Horford the subsequent few seasons might be a serious a part of the way forward for the Celtics roster. Anyway, it’s been a very good begin to Stevens tenure as Celtics GM. The KP commerce begins the subsequent chapter. Let’s see the way it seems for the boys in Inexperienced.