The leader in the front office spoke to Sirius XM NBA Radio about this thoughts as the team gets ready to enter training camp.
With less than two weeks to go until the start of training camp, it's go-time for the Boston Celtics.
And while the Celtics are one of the most reputable and successful franchises over the last decade, there are questions heading into this season.
Namely, how will the team perform without Jaylen Brown in the fold? Will Jayson Tatum look the same as he did prior to the 2025 Achilles injury that limited him to only 16 regular season games in 2026? And will Derrick White be able to rediscover his prior shooting form?
All of those questions will get answered over the next nine months.
Brad Stevens, the architect of the roster, was optimistic about the state of his team on Sirius XM NBA Radio on Friday, telling host Brian Scalabrine that he's not going to put a ceiling on any team he's ever involved with. He complimented the depth on the roster and the player development staff for helping create that depth. He added that there are a lot of strengths that they will evaluate the team early on, but "we're going to be pushing like we always push..."
So, it sounds like Stevens is ready to push his chips into the center of the table if and when the time calls for it, but the next question is: When exactly is it worth it?
The New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers appear to be a cut above the Celtics at this time. The Toronto Raptors, Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Detroit Pistons are all possibly better. So, will Stevens go "all-in" to simply make the playoffs? Does he have to sense a top-four seed? A top-two seed? That remains to be seen.
In fairness to him, Stevens has been willing to make additions at the trade deadline over the years. He acquired White from San Antonio Spurs in 2022 and also brought in Nikola Vucevic last year.
Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens speaks during a press conference at The Auerbach Center at Boston Landing. Eric Canha-Imagn ImagesAlso in the news for the Celtics
Speaking of radio interviews, Tatum was a guest on the 'Dan Patrick Show' on Thursday, and he delivered a lot of interesting revelations, including about the vulnerability that he felt when returning from his Achilles injury, and about his relationship with Jaylen Brown.
Training camp will begin on Sept. 29 while the first preseason game is Oct. 8. The Celtics will open up the regular season on Oct. 20 against the Detroit Pistons.
