Insider Explains Why Brad Stevens Is Under Most Pressure On Celtics

Things have changed quite quickly for Brad Stevens and the Boston Celtics. Just a few months ago, they were a surefire title contender. Now, they are staring into an uncertain future thanks to injury issues and the second apron of the NBA’s salary cap.

The Celtics have shed quite a bit of talent this offseason, as they traded Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis before losing Luke Kornet (and likely Al Horford) in free agency. Jayson Tatum is also expected to miss the majority of the 2025-26 season after he ruptured his Achilles tendon in the 2025 NBA Playoffs.

That has put Boston in a strange spot. Do they attempt to contend for a title without Tatum, or do they reset their roster so that when Tatum returns, they are in the best spot possible to go and contend for another title?

Stevens is the one who has to make that decision, and so far, he hasn’t leaned too far into either side of that question. According to Celtics insider Chris Forsberg, the aforementioned question is the reason why Stevens is the person within the organization who is under the most pressure ahead of the new season.

“It’s an important season for Stevens’ draft picks. There should be more minutes and more ability to learn through the bumps for recent draftees,” Forsberg wrote for NBC Sports Boston.

“Beyond that, Stevens has to plot the next step forward. And that might actually be a step backward … This current Celtics puzzle feels far from finished, for this season and beyond, and Stevens will have plenty of opportunities to chart where things go from here.”

Chances are Stevens will wait to see how the team fares early in the 2025-26 season before making a decision on the state of the roster. If they are winning, he will likely look to build up the roster, but if they are struggling, he could look to sell off some more spare parts.

For now, the Celtics are playing the waiting game, as they have made the big moves they needed to make to get under the second apron of the salary cap. There’s still more work to do, though, and it’s going to be up to Stevens and the front office to determine what the future of this team looks like.