Celtics
Brad Stevens says massive man Kristaps Porzingis has “actually taken one other step.”
On Thursday, following an eventful 2023 NBA draft, Brad Stevens addressed the media and mentioned plenty of matters – most notably the commerce that despatched Marcus Good to the Grizzlies and introduced Kristaps Porzingis to Boston.
Listed below are the takeaways.
1. Stevens mentioned his dialog with Good in regards to the commerce – which, according to Shams Charania, happened 10-Quarter-hour earlier than the information broke – wasn’t lengthy. The 2 spoke briefly, then noticed one another once more the subsequent morning on the apply facility. Stevens mentioned he advised Good how a lot he appreciated the imprint Good left each on the franchise and on the group.
“I advised him when he received right here, we had been 25-57 the yr earlier than, and the best legacy that you could go away is it’s higher off since you had been there,” Stevens mentioned. “I believe that everyone right here feels that method.”
Per the Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach, Good took the information like a “intestine punch.” Nonetheless, he’s headed to a successful state of affairs that actually wants him particularly each on and off the court docket, and he leaves behind a fan base that largely appears to really feel punched within the intestine proper together with him.
“He’ll at all times have Boston, for certain, proper?” Stevens mentioned. “I believe Boston actually appreciates him, and positively I do. He is aware of we’ll do something for him, however it was onerous.”
2. The Clippers reportedly balked on the preliminary commerce building that will have stored Good in Boston and would have as an alternative despatched Malcolm Brogdon to Los Angeles. Stevens didn’t talk about the specifics of another potential deal, however he did say the Celtics do their finest “to know any of your potential choices.”
In different phrases, there’s probability the Celtics knew they may put collectively the framework to commerce Good prematurely and had been in a position to pivot shortly when the Clippers almost torpedoed the deal.
3. Stevens sounds sky-high on Porzingis. Considerations might be raised that Porzingis had a profession yr in Washington with 23.2 factors per recreation on environment friendly taking pictures each inside and outdoors the arc, which could not be replicable. Stevens doesn’t share these issues.
“I believed he had simply actually taken one other step,” Stevens mentioned. “He was already good, however he simply took one other step.”
Porzingis, who averaged 1.18 factors per possession on post-up makes an attempt final yr, brings a brand new dimension to the Celtics’ offense. The Celtics are banking on his capability to be a hub for the offense at occasions, both taking part in subsequent to one in all Robert Williams and Al Horford, or because the stand-alone middle. His offensive versatility will pair properly together with his rim safety.
Stevens added that he “hopes” Porzingis indicators an extension to stay in Boston.
“He’s been a very good participant to this point and solely has gotten higher,” Stevens mentioned. “I believe to me, that’s the half that actually stands out. Typically while you’re the fourth choose within the draft and also you get all these accolades and all this consideration and all these eyes, and also you’re going by means of your development course of, there’s some ups and downs.
“However he’s hit some extent the place he’s beginning to I believe actually play and play at the perfect degree I’ve seen.”
4. The draft itself was chaotic, however Stevens mentioned the Celtics had an inventory of gamers they favored. Arkansas wing Jordan Walsh was one.
“He’s prospect,” Stevens mentioned. “He’s younger, we don’t anticipate him to return in and take the world on hearth within the first couple of months of summer season league, first yr. He has a particular capability laterally and together with his wingspan to, like, swallow individuals up defensively. He actually creates havoc together with his arms and together with his power and together with his capability to maneuver his ft.”
Walsh has an intriguing talent set – the Eleventh-longest wingspan within the draft at greater than 7’1, with a 36-inch vertical leap. Defensively, the Dallas native is hyper-aggressive, the form of participant who compiles a defensive spotlight reel. One scouting video listed his finest attributes as “defensive influence, playmaking potential and successful performs.”
A defensive spotlight reel? Profitable performs? A Dallas native? That, uh, would possibly remind you of somebody.
Walsh has by no means been shooter, both from deep or the free-throw line, however Stevens expressed confidence in his potential.
“We had him in twice for exercises,” Stevens mentioned. “He’s simply getting higher and higher, and I’ve at all times thought his contact appeared good, however he appeared hesitant at occasions. So I believe over time, he’ll develop into a very good shooter who has the athleticism to complete and drive closeouts.
“However he’ll be forward on the defensive finish to start out.”
5. After buying the No. 25 choose within the draft as a part of the deal for Porzingis, Stevens traded No. 25 all the way down to No. 31, buying a second-round choose within the course of. He then traded down once more, going from 31 to 34 and 39. He then moved 34 again to 38, nabbing one other choose, and at last traded the participant he acquired at No. 39 for one more second-rounder.
When the mud settled, Stevens had acquired:
- Dallas’ 2024 second-round choose
- The perfect choose from both the Pistons, Warriors or Wizards in 2025
- The perfect choose from both Minnesota, New Orleans, New York or Portland in 2026
- Atlanta’s 2027 second-round choose.
These picks replenish the cabinets for the Celtics, who will solely make their very own second-round choose 3 times within the subsequent seven years. Anticipate the Celtics to proceed attaching picks to trades in trade for useful veterans each time the chance exists.
“Certainly one of today I’ll choose a first-round choose,” Stevens quipped. ‘It could be some time.”
6. Stevens couldn’t discuss in regards to the new additions to the assistant teaching ranks apart from Sam Cassell and Charles Lee. Stevens did say the brand new faces ought to “convey nice power” and “are excited to be right here,” which in itself could be progress after Ime Udoka’s suspension and subsequent firing left a workers filled with Udoka’s hires nonetheless on the payroll.
7. Stevens additionally balked at speaking about Derrick White’s function in Good’s absence.
“We’re going to want Derrick to proceed to be nice, and we now have little doubt he’ll, however we’ve received loads of different succesful guards too,” he mentioned. “Clearly Payton [Pritchard], Malcolm, Derrick, we now have loads of good gamers again there. Once more, final yr we had 4 actually good gamers, and we couldn’t get any time for Payton, and we simply had been possibly fairly skinny up entrance if we went into some video games with not having some guys accessible.”
8. Anticipate the Celtics to stay energetic as they appear to complete their roster, however Stevens sounds actually excessive on the Celtics’ trio of Tatum, Brown and Porzingis.
“[Porzingis] is an excellent expert basketball participant,” Stevens mentioned. “We didn’t put up a ton this yr, however to have the ability to throw the ball within the put up and simply shoot over a swap and do it so effectively and successfully is an enormous deal, not to mention have the ability to play behind the road and shoot the ball or drive it, these forms of issues.
“He brings rather a lot to our staff. You may envision as I can envision a number of the lineups we might put on the market size-wise proper now. Fairly intriguing. And never with out dropping any talent in any respect. In order that’s factor.”
“Fairly intriguing” is actually correct. Porzingis is undeniably gifted. The commerce makes loads of basketball sense if the Celtics can discover a approach to fill a number of the remaining holes.
However the final 48 hours felt like the beginning of one thing new. With out buying and selling away Brown or Tatum, Stevens appears to have ushered in a brand new period – a brand new look with plenty of acquainted faces.
The associated fee was a hefty one. We’ll see if the roster Stevens is constructing can foot the invoice.
Join Celtics updates🏀
Get breaking information and evaluation delivered to your inbox throughout basketball season.