What Celtics' Brad Stevens had to say about the players he's added this offseason
Brad Stevens and the Celtics are "retooling" this offseason, which hasn't exactly led to the most thrilling headlines about Boston's basketball team. This summer has been more about saying goodbye to title contributors and resetting the books than keeping the Celtics a title contender.
The approach is understandable, with Jayson Tatum likely set to miss the entire 2025-26 season after he ruptured his Achilles in the playoffs. With looming CBA penalties and roster restrictions for being a repeat second apron team – not to mention a big repeaters tax bill – Stevens traded away Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis. Other moves could be on the horizon, with the Celtics still slightly in the second apron.
Stevens' priority is to keep the Celtics as competitive as possible without Tatum, while getting the roster-building flexibility for next season and beyond to keep the championship window open with the core of Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
It's a great plan for 2026-27 and beyond, but it's leaving a lot to be desired this summer. Two years ago, Stevens traded for Holiday and Porzingis as the final pieces of Boston's championship puzzle. This summer for Holiday and Porzingis, Stevens acquired Anfernee Simons and Georges Niang, respectively.
Handcuffed with what he could offer in free agency, Stevens lost out on big man Luke Kornet (who signed with the Spurs) and will likely lose out on Al Horford, who is mulling his next team or a possible retirement. When NBA free agency tipped off last week, Stevens was only able to add Luka Garza and Josh Minott on minimum deals.
"We've obviously been limited in what tools we can use with where we are right around the second apron, so we're looking for guys on those contracts that have upside," Stevens said of his dive into free agency. "That are competitors, that are workers that want to be good that haven't hit their peak yet, but we've seen something in them that we think gives them a chance to be very impactful."
Stevens pumped up four of the newest members of the Celtics as best he could on Tuesday.
Celtics on Luka Garza and Josh Minott
Both of Stevens' free-agent signings came from the Minnesota Timberwolves, where they saw limited action. Garza, a 26-year-old center, averaged just 6.3 minutes over 92 games the last three seasons with the Wolves. Minott, a 22 forward, has averaged just 5.0 minutes per game over his three-year career.
Both will have an opportunity to earn more minutes and carve out a role in Boston.
"Luka, obviously, has been a stats darling, but in limited time behind very, very good players," Stevens said of the big man. "Minott is a guy that brings a lot of versatility to the table, is a person that can guard several positions, can shoot a little bit, but plays with great energy and length."
Bringing energy is what Minott is best known for, which has earned him the nickname "The Lawn Mower." Stevens praised both Garza and Minott as strong rebounders, and said they should complement the current core well.
"We have a team that is being retooled. I think the biggest thing is bringing in guys that can complement our best players and our core but also have some upside, and maybe some unrealized upside thus far," he said. "And they were in a great situation. They were coached by a great coach in Chris Finch and a great organization with a ton of talent. And they're used to winning; I like that too."
Celtics on Anfernee Simons
Of the players Boston has added this offseason, Simons is the one with the most immediate upside. While you can't expect much of anything from him on the defensive end, he's a gifted scorer who should fit into Joe Mazzulla's system extremely well.
Simons drained a career-high 215 threes for the Blazers last season, when he averaged 19.3 points and 4.8 assists. He led Portland in scoring 28 times.
"Anfernee is a guy that people out here probably don't see as much because of the time that they play," Stevens said of Simons, who has shot 38.1 percent over his seven-year NBA career. "But his ability to score, his ability to shoot the ball, make really hard shots, is pretty elite. And you look at a guy that's 26 years old, who's averaged 20 a game for three straight years. I think he's a really good player and I think he can get better, and that's a big part of it."
Celtics on Georges Niang
Celtics fans are bit torn on Niang, a local guy from Methuen who attended the Tilton School in New Hampshire. He's a nine-year vet who played in 79 games last season (split between the Hawks and the Cavaliers) and averaged 9.9 points and 3.4 rebounds. He also shot 40.6 percent from downtown on 5.2 attempts per contest.
He also does a lot of things to irk opposing players and fanbases; one of those players you hate when he's on another team but will like if he's wearing your hometown laundry. But he's going to have to win over a good chunk of the fanbase, and potentially his new teammate in Jaylen Brown.
It's hard to forget when Niang grabbed Brown's leg from the bench during a playoff game between the Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers in 2023.
Sure, he's a local kid. But those antics aren't going to fly in Boston -- at least not when he's wearing a different uniform. But Stevens believes he'll be a welcome addition to the Celtics, since the team won't have to deal with him on the other side of the court anymore.
"Niang has just added value to winning on each team he's been on," Stevens said Tuesday. "And he's a pain to play against, which I very much admire. He knows what he does well, and he knows how to bring out the best in his group. It's not a coincidence that he was a part of the rotation on those really good Philly teams. He was a part of the rotation this year in Cleveland before the trade. The guy is a winner. Knows how to play, knows how to bring out the best in people. So, happy he's here."
