The Los Angeles Lakers opened a coach position earlier this week when they dismissed Frank Vogel after their star-studded team failed to make the playoffs. When asked if he would step in for the job, Brad Stevens denied the idea.
“No. No comment, not entertaining,” Stevens told 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Toucher & Rich. “First of all, I have no idea what my future holds. I’m in one of those positions where someone decides to move on from me and this is the world we live in. I’m definitely not leaving to go to the Lakers. I know that for a fact.”
Stevens insisted that he would never imagine leaving Boston Celtics for Los Angeles.
“How about the fact that I’ve lived in Boston for nine years? Everything in my closet is green. That is enough. Isn’t that a little bit of a rivalry? Come on,” said Stevens. “My whole existence has been about getting this team to be as good as it could be. Let’s keep it that way. The good news is we just wasted a few minutes.”
“This has been the least stressful year of my life. I would love nothing more than to insert myself in the tire fire known as the Los Angeles Lakers. In fact I’d do it for free.” https://t.co/JzdkFEqRKI
— #HonkHonk (@ColeyMick) April 14, 2022
Stevens’ achievements
Stevens began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Butler University in his mid-20s, serving as the Butler Bulldogs’ men basketball team head coach from 2007 to 2013. Butler went to five NCAA Tournaments and appeared in back-to-back national championship matches during Stevens’ six-year career, first losing to the Duke Blue Devils in 2010 and then to the UConn Huskies in 2011.
Stevens made the transition to the NBA with the Celtics before the 2013-14 season after spending time in Indiana with the Bulldogs, where he recorded a 166-49 record. Stevens has a 354-282 record as the head coach of the Boston Bruins during his eight seasons in charge, and he guided the team to the playoffs seven times, including three trips to the Eastern Conference Finals.
This offseason, Stevens walked away from the sidelines and into the general manager’s position. Stevens has plenty of experience on the bench but none as a general manager.
And he is prospering in his new position as the Celtics’ president of basketball operations. He established his name by sticking to the team’s core, signing long-term deals with Marcus Smart and Robert Williams during the summer.
He made an excellent choice in appointing head coach Ime Udoka, who is a nominee for Coach of the Year. At the trade deadline, he strengthened the team’s rotation by bringing in point guard Derrick White and experienced center Daniel Theis.
This series of moves during the offseason helped propel the Celtics to the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Lakers’ continuous search
With Stevens out of the picture, there are some candidates left for the Lakers. Juwan Howard, the head coach of the Michigan Wolverines, is reportedly determined to keep guiding his boys. Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder, Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers, and Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse are all said to be on the Lakers’ radar, but all of them are still under agreement with their respective clubs.
Needless to say, the Lakers will face a lengthy and exhaustive procedure. They cannot afford to bring in the wrong coach for the team, not with the clock ticking on their star player LeBron James.