Celtics

NBA insider: Joe Mazzulla expected to remain as Celtics’ coach, additions to be made to staff

"They need some depth on that staff. I think they're going to look more towards that this offseason."

Joe Mazzulla during Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

May 30, 2023

Though the Celtics’ season ultimately still ended in the Eastern Conference Finals, it appears unlikely that the team will move on from head coach Joe Mazzulla.

Mazzulla, 34, took over the role initially on an interim basis (following the suspension of Ime Udoka just days before the start of the team’s training camp).

Despite earning the full-time role in February, the team’s disastrous 0-3 start to the series against the Heat — one which the Celtics entered as overwhelming favorites — left some NBA insiders to speculate at the time that Boston might remove Mazzulla after one season.

Yet the team’s subsequent rally to force a Game 7 seems to have secured Mazzulla’s position, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Speaking in a Tuesday morning interview, Charania explained why he thinks the Celtics’ coach is safe.

“You look at Jayson Tatum’s comments after the game, I think that was of note,” he said, referencing Tatum saying he thought Mazzulla did “a great job” in the circumstances.

Instead of making a coaching change, Charania believes the Celtics will look to bolster the staff around its young head coach.

“The impression that I’m getting right now is the Celtics and Mazzulla will look more towards stacking and elevating his bench with more veteran assistants,” said Charania. “They need some depth on that staff. I think they’re going to look more towards that this offseason.”

“If he got swept, I think there would be a lot more questions… but the fact that it did go to game 7, I think it allowed the Celtics to see that there is a little bit of runway, some potential here.”@ShamsCharania on Joe Mazzulla’s future with the #Celtics #RunItBack pic.twitter.com/dSjCIGtZR1
— FanDuel TV (@FanDuelTV) May 30, 2023

On top of the benefits of keeping the same coach in place for continuity, there are other more practical factors that Boston management will consider.

“The bottom line also is that Joe Mazzulla [has] about $14 million from what I’m told on his deal for the three years after this. They just signed him to that new deal,” Charania noted.

Still, had the Celtics simply been swept by the Heat, Charania admitted that the pressure would’ve been squarely on Mazzulla.

“Given how this year went — yes, if he got swept I think there would be a lot more questions,” he explained, “but the fact that it did go to Game 7, I think it allowed the Celtics to see that there is a little bit of runway, some potential here.”