Celtics’ Executive of the Year Brad Stevens’ big trade deadline acquisition was a DNP in Game 7

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Bailey Bassett, ClutchPoints

Sun, May 3, 2026 ·

2 min read

Celtics’ Executive of the Year Brad Stevens’ big trade deadline acquisition was a DNP in Game 7 appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .

Brad Stevens is unquestionably one of the best executives in the NBA. The Boston Celtics ’ decision maker transitioned nicely from head coach to the role of president of basketball operations, as he has already won a championship and two Executive of the Year titles as the man in charge of building Boston’s roster.

The second of those awards came this season, after Stevens decided to get Boston’s finances in check and blow up much of the Celtics pricey roster. Despite trading big-name players, such as Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday , the new-look Celtics were one of the biggest surprises in the NBA this season. They earned the two-seed even though Jayson Tatum missed much of the season because of torn achilles tendon rehab.

However, not all of Stevens’ decisions were perfect this year. One move he executed, in particular, played a big part in Boston’s season blowing up when it mattered the most. The Celtics lost in round one to the Philadelphia 76ers , becoming just the eighth two-seed to lose their first round matchup in NBA history. Even worse, the loss came via a 3-1 comeback.

Nikola Vucevic was close to a non-factor in that series. Stevens traded for the Montenegrin big man ahead of the NBA trade deadline to reinforce Boston’s center depth. After the trade, Vucevic’s scoring mark dropped to just 9.7 points per game. He was even worse in the playoffs, as Vucevic averaged 6.2 points and 4.3 rebounds before getting benched for the entirety of Game 7.

The center was supposed to bring the 3-point shooting that would perfectly fit Boston’s play style, as well as more size during a season in which Porzingis and Al Horford , staples for the team at the center position for a long time, were no longer with the team. Instead, Vucevic couldn’t even be trusted in a Game 7 in which the opposing center was going off. A motivated Joel Embiid led all scorers with 34 points in the closeout game.

Now, the Celtics are left sitting at home, and Vucevic seems unlikely to return to Boston next season. Stevens has to wish he could get the Vucevic trade back, especially because Anfernee Simons , the player whom Vucevic was traded for, played impressively for his new team.