Stevens On Sports Final: 'A Lot Of Optimism' Around Celtics
BOSTON (CBS) -- This summer is a little different for Celtics head coach Brad Stevens.
A year ago, he and president of basketball operations Danny Ainge were likely discussing their best options with the sixth overall pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. This summer, Stevens is stewing about Boston's playoff loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, trying to pry what he can out of that four-game sweep and use it to his advantage next season.
So this year, as 14 other teams were worried how Ping-Pong balls were going to drop, Stevens enjoyed some family time during last Tuesday's NBA Draft lottery.
"It didn't really matter. We're slotted in our slots and are focused on that. We have what we have from a financial flex standpoint and are focused on that. We have the guys on our team, and we're focused on them," Stevens told Dan Roche on Sunday night's edition of WBZ-TV's Sports Final. "We weren't worried about how those [Ping-Pong] balls all dropped, and I think that's a good feeling."
While last season didn't end the way he would have liked, Stevens was still pleased with all the steps forward he saw from his 40-win Celtics.
"I like the fact we made progress. Part of that progress is having to learn some of the difficult lessons we learned at the end of the season and in the playoffs," he said. "I was disappointed we couldn't make that series [against Cleveland] a little more interesting, but we had a lot of good things from a lot of guys and there should be a lot of optimism around the players we have and where we can go."
Stevens On Team's Progress:
Now, Stevens enters a summer in which the team will have the opportunity to greatly improve their roster. Ainge is armed with a pair of first-round picks this year (and a handful more over the next three years), several tradeable players on his roster and over $30 million in cap space.
"I think the most important thing to us is to continue to add versatile bodies and be able to shoot the basketball," Stevens said. "Those are two critical components. Obviously, everyone wants the guy with ultimate size who can protect the rim and do all those things, but there are only so many of those guys available. Being versatile, having guys who can play multiple positions and being able to shoot, are really important."
However, there is a little hiccup in Boston's plan to rebuild quickly. The Celtics have never been a destination free agents have rushed to, making it difficult to get a legit star to pass up more appealing (read: warmer) destinations.
But Stevens is hoping the Celtics' aura, from both their successful past and the current foundation he and Ainge have put in place, will be all they need to pry free agents off the market. Their selling point is the organization as a whole, and all it has to offer.
"The hardest thing to sell is our people, because it's all subjective. But I do think that's our biggest selling point," he said. "It's not necessarily one person or two or three, it's our whole organization. The players are great and are team-first people; they're not looking over their shoulders as teammates. They're trying to bring people along.
"We saw that when the three guys got brought in here [at the trade deadline] – Isaiah Thomas, Jonas Jerebko and Luigi Datome -- [our staffs] tried to help them get integrated as quickly as possible. Training staff, strength staff, front office, the coaches – we're all positive and it's a good working environment. It's an empowering environment.
Stevens On Upcoming Offseason:
"That's a subjective thing to sell and a hard sell. When it comes down to it when talking about free agents, there are a lot of factors working against you," noted Stevens. "The most important is there are usually financial incentives for them to stay or the ability for another team to match [offers]. What you have to do is figure out who is a target that is getable, and then you have to figure out how you convince them our environment and our system will help them maximize themselves, as well as achieve collective results."
Stevens says the bottom line is they'll have to convince anyone they want to bring on board that the Celtics will be a winning franchise in the foreseeable future.
"No matter how good you are, it's way better when you're winning," he said. "And it's not as fun when you're losing, no matter how much you're getting paid or how featured you are."
When listing what attributes he likes best in players, and will be looking for in any acquisitions this summer, Stevens said he likes guys who are "everyday workers."
"It's a huge part of what I believe in, the guy who you can't tell if they're having a good day or a bad day. They just come to work and do the same thing every day, and are consistent and deliberate in their work and effort," he said. "That's really hard to find, and it's one heck of a trade. I thought it was best exemplified in our team by Brandon Bass. Every single day he came to work and did the same thing. He was consistent with his approach. He's older and gets that it's not only on the court with the work he puts in, but off the court with the way he takes care of his body. I think he had a big impact on our young guys in that regard."
Stevens On What He Looks For In His Players:
Stevens said in addition to wanting guys who put the team first, he also wants his players to be accountable and willing to accept what the coaching staff has to offer.
"Ultimately, one of the things I'm more drawn to than anything is real accountable people. They're humble enough to admit they made a mistake, but they're going to learn from it and they have enough confidence that the mistake isn't going to crush them," he said. "They're accountable every day and it helps them improve.
"Not everyone is perfect," added Stevens, "but if we can find a group that strives to be good in those areas, I think we have a good step."
More from Stevens:
On Isaiah Thomas: The first time I talked to him before a game day was on Facetime to go through our playbook when [he was in Boston] for his physical and we were out west. When he got to L.A., I saw him that morning at breakfast and we played the Lakers that night. You don't really get a chance to know these guys, which is the hard part about trades mid-season.
"The one thing he had was a great contagious effect from a personality standpoint on our entire team. He really has a good spirit about him within the team."
On Marcus Smart: "He had a great rookie year, and I think he might have been the only rookie to start in the playoffs. That tells you how hard it is to be 19 or 20 and [have an impact]… there are not a lot of impact those guys, right out of college, are making. So for Marcus to be able to do what he did at 20, it bodes well for the future."
On Smart's Defense: "It's the highest level it can be for that age. He has feel, he has awareness, he has vision, he has physical strength, he has lateral ability, and he's got the grit. He has all of it and he wants to be a good defender. It's as good on the perimeter as I've seen at that age."
On his two years in Boston: "It's been great. It's been a pretty easy transition for my family; my kids are doing great and my wife loves it. We would have voted for a little less snow during the winter, but for the most part it's been really good.
"I don't get out and about a ton; I kind of stay at the practice facility, the Garden, I go home and don't do much else. But we've gotten a chance to explore a little bit and the sights that we've seen. My son went on a field trip to the freedom trail the other day; you don't get that everywhere. You don't get a chance to study history and go right there and see it."