Brad Stevens is pragmatic. He was pragmatic as a coach. And for the most part, he’s been pragmatic as President of Basketball Operations.
Pragmatism went out of the window this summer.
After making the NBA Finals in 2022, the were supposed to bulldoze their way back there in 2023, driven by their shortcomings against the Golden State Warriors and eager to finally get over the hump. Instead, they stumbled their way to an Eastern Conference Finals exit — and I do mean stumbled.
First, a series against the Atlanta Hawks dragged on for six games when it should have been over in four.