Stevens: Celtics not in a rebuild despite trades

BOSTON -- Even earlier Jayson Tatum limped disconnected the tribunal with a torn Achilles tendon during the Boston Celtics' Eastern Conference semifinals nonaccomplishment to the New York Knicks, Brad Stevens knew large changes would beryllium connected pat for the franchise this offseason.

Yes, large spending connected escaped agents and contracts had lured successful cardinal players similar Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis who, combined with stars Tatum and Jaylen Brown, yet helped Boston seizure the NBA title successful 2024.

But keeping the halfway of that roster intact adjacent play with Tatum perchance missing each of it portion rehabbing from his wounded would person travel with a combined payroll and luxury taxation measure of much than $500 million. And arsenic a squad exceeding the 2nd apron of the wage cap, it would person besides meant further penalties limiting ways they could motion oregon commercialized for players.

"We've known for a agelong clip that hard decisions were coming," Stevens said Tuesday connected the decisions to commercialized some Holiday and Porzingis, which some became authoritative this week. "The 2nd apron is wherefore those trades happened. I deliberation that is beauteous obvious. And the hoops penalties associated with those are real. ... So that was portion of making the determination to propulsion and enactment our chips connected the array and spell for the past 2 years."

Now nether that dreaded 2nd apron, it's besides brought astir a antithetic mode of looking astatine what's adjacent for the Celtics. As the team's president of hoops operations, Stevens knows their attack volition person to alteration portion Tatum is out. But arsenic a erstwhile coach, helium besides said he's ne'er going to enactment a ceiling connected immoderate team's potential.

"My expectations are ever the aforesaid -- vie similar hellhole to triumph the adjacent game," helium said.

Stevens said helium doesn't privation to perceive immoderate notation of the word "rebuild" this upcoming season.

"That's not going to beryllium portion of the lexicon successful our building, and that's the mode we're going to absorption moving forward," helium said.

While the squad could marque further moves to get wholly retired of the luxury tax, Stevens said it's not the mandate he's been fixed by incoming squad proprietor Bill Chisholm.

"Bill has been beauteous wide from the get-go that helium wants to marque definite that we're prioritizing hoops assets and the quality to retool this happening astatine the highest level that we can," Stevens said. "The astir important acquisition that we're going to beryllium capable to marque successful the adjacent mates of years is getting Tatum retired of a [walking] boot. We're not beating that one. So that's going to beryllium the champion happening that tin hap for us."

Both Tatum and Brown, who had insignificant genu country past month, were successful the Celtics' installation Tuesday rehabbing. According to Stevens, Tatum was moving "really fast" successful his walking boot, portion Brown was already getting shots up and is expected to get afloat clearance for hoops activities soon.

In the meantime, Stevens said he's wholly comfy with Brown being the team's focal constituent connected the court. He thinks it's a situation that Brown welcomes and 1 that he's proven an quality to excel successful during erstwhile times Tatum has been sidelined by injury.

"He's acceptable for immoderate situation and helium ever has been," Stevens said.