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NBA analyst lays out point-by-point why Celtics’ Brad Stevens winning EOY is ’embarrassing’
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- NBA analyst lays out point-by-point why Celtics’ Brad Stevens winning EOY is ’embarrassing’
NBA analyst lays out point-by-point why Celtics’ Brad Stevens winning EOY is ’embarrassing’ appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens is facing criticism following his recent Executive of the Year award, with one NBA analyst calling the decision “embarrassing” after Boston’s early playoff exit.
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The reaction comes after the Celtics squandered a 3–1 series lead and were eliminated by the Philadelphia 76ers in a 109–100 Game 7 loss at TD Garden. In the aftermath, Tom Ziller outlined a detailed critique of Stevens’ recent roster moves in his Good Morning It’s Basketball newsletter.
“He dismantled a championship contender to save his boss money and reset the aprons. His team got worse. Don’t reward that!”
Ziller acknowledged Stevens’ past success in building a championship roster but drew a distinction between those moves and his most recent year of decision-making.
“Tell me that Brad Stevens, king of the Boston Celtics ’ front office, is one of the best team executives in the NBA, and you’ll get no argument. His work to assemble the 2024 championship team was brilliant… My issue isn’t Stevens being lauded for his work with the Celtics. My issue is Stevens being lauded for his work with the Celtics over the past year.”
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According to Ziller, Stevens’ recent moves prioritized financial flexibility over maintaining a championship-caliber roster. He pointed to several transactions, including trading Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis and reshaping the frontcourt, as decisions that ultimately weakened the team.
“He just won it after … dismantling a title contender to save his new boss a bunch of money and reset the team’s apron counters. The Celtics were worse this season than last by five wins, and were just ejected in the first round.”
Analyst points to Sam Presti, Rob Pelinka as alternatives to Brad Stevens’ EOY win
Ziller also contrasted Stevens’ selection with other executives he viewed as stronger candidates, including Atlanta ’s Onsi Saleh and Detroit ’s Trajan Langdon, citing improvements in team performance. He further highlighted Oklahoma City executive Sam Presti as a consistent benchmark across the league.
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“The obvious candidate this year and every year should be Sam Presti… If you held a GM Draft, everyone in a position of power would pick Presti No. 1 overall without a nanosecond of hesitation.”
In addition, Ziller pointed to Rob Pelinka of the Los Angeles Lakers as another overlooked candidate, arguing his work in improving the roster and executing major transactions warranted more recognition.
Ziller then detailed Boston’s moves over the past year, emphasizing cost-cutting decisions and limited roster upgrades as central to his argument.
“Cut cut cut cut cut and, uh, drafted Hugo Gonzalez … It should be embarrassing to them and their bosses and the NBA league office… that this is what constitutes Good Work Worthy Of Metal Praise.”
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Despite the criticism, Stevens’ tenure remains defined by both long-term success and recent scrutiny. Boston finished the regular season with a 56–26 record and multiple players earning league recognition, but the playoff collapse has shifted the conversation around the team’s trajectory.
The debate surrounding the Executive of the Year award underscores differing perspectives across the league, particularly when balancing financial management with on-court results.
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