Brad Stevens is making the Celtics’ direction plain without having to spell it out in harsh terms. Since the Jaylen Brown trade, he’s worked through the explanation carefully, never taking a shot at Brown while still laying out why Boston believes the move fits its bigger plan.
The through line has been consistent: depth matters, the young players matter, and keeping those guys in the building is part of building something that lasts. Stevens has returned to that idea more than once, and he pushed it again at media day on Monday.
"It's not just who you bring in; it's also what guys can step into new roles and what guys can do to take the next step in their ability to impact [winning]. And oftentimes that happens because you're younger and you get better, [but] sometimes it happens because there's movement within the roster that allows for more opportunity."
That’s the clearest version yet of what Boston believes it created by moving Brown. The minutes and usage that once belonged to him are now open, and that means more chances for players like Hugo Gonzalez, Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, Ron Harper Jr., and others to carve out real roles.
Those are the kinds of players who flashed last season and made the most of limited run. But with Brown and Jayson Tatum soaking up so much of the wing workload, there was only so much room for them to grow. Now the pathway looks different.
Paul George is in the mix, and Sam Hauser is still there, but at this point both fit more comfortably as role players in a bigger rotation picture. The real shift is that the younger group is set to be elevated because the roster has changed so dramatically.
Boston’s faith in Scheierman, Walsh, and Hugo is no secret. They helped create disorder for opponents and generate advantages in short bursts, and they were a major part of the team’s surprising overachievement last season. There was plenty of debate outside the building about how much of that was sustainable, but Stevens’ stance has been clear.
This summer’s roster moves have only sharpened the picture. The Celtics are betting on their scouting, their development, their organizational structure, and the way Joe Mazzulla and his staff want to play.
Last season, they were pushed in that direction by Tatum’s injury and salary cap pressure. This time, it’s a choice. Stevens has built the team he wants around Tatum, and now Boston appears ready to let Mazzulla-Ball take its full swing at the rest of the league.
In Other News...
Celtics Face A Bigger Paul George Decision Than Fans Realize
Even with age, injury history and a hefty contract attached, Paul George still has enough standing around the league that teams have not written him off as a difference-maker. An NBA executive told Sean Deveney that George continues to carry considerable value, which helps explain why his arrival in Boston has remained a topic of real interest rather than a passing roster note.
George has also sounded upbeat about landing with the Celtics and has made clear he would like to stick around. The larger question is how Boston sees him as the season unfolds, because the teams long-term plan for him is still unsettled and the answer will say a lot about where this roster is headed next. [Read more 🡒]
Paul George Usage Could Reveal A Lot About Bostons Confidence
The Celtics handling of Paul George is already shaping up as one of the more interesting early questions around their rotation. A minutes restriction would not be unusual for a veteran with mileage, and Boston has history here, having managed Al Horford carefully in his later seasons with the team. For now, though, there is no official indication that George is headed for that kind of limited workload, and the tone from media day suggested he may be available whenever he is healthy.
That leaves the real intrigue in how Boston chooses to use him once the games start counting. The Celtics seem confident George can handle significant minutes this season, which says plenty about how they view his body and his role in the rotation. Even so, the exact plan has not been confirmed, and the difference between a full-go approach and a more cautious one could tell a lot about just how aggressively Boston wants to chase the regular season with its veteran core. [Read more 🡒]
Payton Pritchard Is About To Face Bostons Biggest New Test
Payton Pritchard has spent his Celtics tenure turning steady growth into real trust, and last season made the leap as his most productive one yet. After improving each year in Boston, he earned Sixth Man of the Year honors in 2025 and gave the Celtics efficient scoring, playmaking and a burst off the bench that helped shape their second unit.
Now the challenge changes. With Jaylen Brown gone to Philadelphia, Pritchard is set to shoulder a bigger creation load alongside Jayson Tatum, and that kind of expanded responsibility brings a different level of scrutiny in Boston. The question is no longer whether he can help spark the offense in a reserve role, but whether he can keep that production steady while becoming a more central part of what the Celtics do next. [Read more 🡒]