There will be a new but familiar face as a new Celtics coach next season. The team has hired Sam Cassell to be an assistant coach under Joe Mazzulla. Cassell’s hiring comes just a little over one week after the Boston Celtics’ season was ended by the Miami Heat in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. For this Celtics team, Cassell looks to add leadership and championship experience
Sam Cassell is Back With the Boston Celtics as an Assistant Coach
Cassell was a three-time NBA champion as a player, including winning as a member of the 2008 Boston Celtics team. With this hire, Boston will bring in someone who is familiar with the Celtics’ culture and lineage. They will also bring in someone who already has extensive experience coaching at the NBA level.
From 2020-2023, Cassell was an assistant coach with the Philadelphia 76ers. He was also an assistant under Doc Rivers with the Clippers from 2014-2020. Cassell was also an assistant coach with the Washington Wizards from 2009-2014.
Cassell was named as a potential candidate to fill the head coaching role for the 76ers after they let go of Doc Rivers, who was fired after getting eliminated by Boston in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Philadelphia has since hired former Raptors head coach Nick Nurse.
This news of Cassell’s hiring comes after Brad Stevens said in his last press conference that he hopes to bring in an assistant coach with extensive experience for next year.
What It Means for the C’s
Bringing in someone like Cassell in a coaching role should provide some championship experience for a young Celtics team. Cassell knows what it is like raising a banner in Boston, and the Celtics will hope he can bring some of that experience and leadership on the sideline.
The hiring of Cassell comes after news broke out that former assistant coaches Ben Sullivan, Mike Moser, and Garrett Jackson will all likely depart from Boston and join former Celtics head coach Ime Udoka with the Houston Rockets.
It is likely that Brad Stevens hired Cassell to fill the void of former assistant and NBA player Damon Stoudamire. Stoudamire left to take on the head coach role at Georgia Tech back in March.
Stevens has already made it clear that Joe Mazulla will be the head coach of the Celtics for another year. Adding Cassell is a step in the right direction to solidify the coaching staff for the now second-year head coach.
There is a lot to be optimistic about for the offseason with this move for Boston. The Celtics hope to get over the hump and finally raise banner number 18. Hopefully, for them, Cassell is just one of the pieces to this puzzle.
