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Celtics' Brad Stevens 'Definitely Would Not Leave' to Take Lakers Head Coaching Job
April 14, 2022
Boston Celtics president Brad Stevens is one of the names floating around as a potential candidate for the Los Angeles Lakers' head coach opening, but Stevens quickly put an end to that speculation Thursday.
Appearing on Toucher and Rich (h/t Keith Smith), Stevens said he "definitely would not leave the Celtics to go to the Lakers." Stevens emphatically added, "Like, I'm definitely not doing that. I know that for a fact."
After spending the previous eight seasons as Celtics head coach, Stevens made the transition from the sidelines to the front office in June after former team president Danny Ainge announced his retirement. Stevens has thrived in his new role so far, helping construct a team that finished second in the Eastern Conference with a 51-31 record.
Stevens made his mark on the Celtics by committing to the team's core, signing Marcus Smart and Robert Williams to long-term extensions over the summer. He also clearly made the right decision by hiring head coach Ime Udoka, who is a candidate for Coach of the Year. He also shored up the team's rotation at the trade deadline by bringing in point guard Derrick White and veteran center Daniel Theis.
Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports reported on Monday that Stevens seems to be enjoying his front-office role, and he has "privately insisted for years" that he isn't interested in being a coaching lifer.
The Lakers parted ways with coach Frank Vogel on Monday after a disappointing 33-49 season. The team failed to qualify for the play-in tournament after entering the year with championship aspirations.
Stevens is the latest candidate to not be interested in the Lakers head coaching position. Michigan Wolverines head coach Juwan Howard reportedly wants to continue coaching his sons, so he's not going anywhere. Quin Snyder, Doc Rivers and Nick Nurse are all reportedly on Los Angeles' radar, but they are all under contract with their respective teams.