How Damon Stoudamire's departure could be a disaster for the Celtics

How Damon Stoudamire's departure could be a disaster for the Celtics

WEEI By Alex Reimer

The Celtics’ brain drain on the bench is getting worse. With Damon Stoudamire leaving to become the new head coach at Georgia Tech, Joe Mazzulla isn’t only losing his top assistant. The green head coach will also now be without a highly respected ex-player who’s been around the NBA for much longer than he has.

It couldn’t come at a worse time.

Stoudamire coached his last game with the Celtics in Houston Monday, which they lost 111-109. The Celtics have dropped four of their last six games, and are in the midst of a second-half stumble.

“He’s been around the league a long time,” Mazzulla told reporters Monday. “He’s seen a lot.”

We saw glimpses of Stoudamire’s value to the Celtics following their victory at home over the Clippers Dec. 29. As The Athletic’s Jay King outlines, Stoudamire answered an array of questions during his 11-minute press conference, including how he can relate to Derrick White’s challenge of adjusting to a new team and the nuances of coaching two young All-Stars like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

In addition, Stoudamire developed a close bond with Marcus Smart, who’s in the middle of a brutal stretch. He’s shot just 35.4 percent from the field over his last nine games.

Back in October, Smart told the Boston Sports Journal how much of an impact Stoudamire has had on him.

“Just giving me advice. Things that he sees that I probably wouldn't be able to see on the court,” said Smart. “Things when he played, little tips here and there to make my life and the game easier for me. Things that he sees, when you've got a guy with his credentials, well respected and knows the game, you kind of tend to listen to him.”

Stoudamire is the third high-level Celtics coach to depart within the last year, with Ime Udoka getting suspended and Will Hardy leaving to coach the Jazz.

With Stoudamire gone, the only coach on the Celtics’ staff with NBA experience is Aaron Miles, who played just 19 games for the Warriors during the 2005-06 season.

Mazzulla said Monday he doesn’t know who will take Stoudamire’s place on staff. With less than one month left in the regular season, it’s another question the Celtics will have to answer.

112288

On a positive note, the NBA is loaded with highly qualified coaching candidates, as is the NCAA.

I believe replacing Stoudamire, as good as I think he is, will be absolutely no problem.

I just watched Damon’s presser at GT. Never heard him speak on coaching prior to this. All I can say is..damn, our family jewels are minus a gem.
Names please.
More on this later…….

NYCelt wrote:On a positive note, the NBA is loaded with highly qualified coaching candidates, as is the NCAA.

I believe replacing Stoudamire, as good as I think he is, will be absolutely no problem.

That is true but that does not help us now.

Replacing can be a problem. There may be some good qualified candidates but they're not low hanging fruit. Its not that easy….

I think the Celtics pulled the trigger too soon on Joe by giving him a longer term contract. I think it could hurt the Celtics attracting better free agents this summer if they do not make a deep run and get back to the finals.  If we lose in the first or second round which is becoming concerning given the Celtic slide since the Allstar break, it could be a disaster.

As far as hiring an assistant coach. Everything is in a state of flux with the college conference playoffs completed, and the NCAA playoff begining. Top schools that did poorly are going head hunting for top talent and paying up, as seen by us loosing our assistant coach. So it may not be as easy as one thinks and as simple as just a plug and play exercise.

One year older, one year closer to expiring contracts with Tatum and Brown!

112288

The NBA pay grade is high and everyone wants a shot.

The Celtics are a highly regarded franchise with a history of both promoting from within and creating a springboard to higher positions in the NBA and NCAA.

Finding a replacement for Stoudamire will be like going fishing and having the fish jump in the boat before you can even bait the hook.

NYCelt wrote:The NBA pay grade is high and everyone wants a shot.

The Celtics are a highly regarded franchise with a history of both promoting from within and creating a springboard to higher positions in the NBA and NCAA.

Finding a replacement for Stoudamire will be like going fishing and having the fish jump in the boat before you can even bait the hook.

Respectfully couldn’t disagree more. I really wish it was that easy. High level personnel aren’t just sitting around. 112288 makes some valid points here.

Ktron wrote:

NYCelt wrote:The NBA pay grade is high and everyone wants a shot.

The Celtics are a highly regarded franchise with a history of both promoting from within and creating a springboard to higher positions in the NBA and NCAA.

Finding a replacement for Stoudamire will be like going fishing and having the fish jump in the boat before you can even bait the hook.

Respectfully couldn’t disagree more. I really wish it was that easy. High level personnel aren’t just sitting around. 112288 makes some valid points here.

Always OK to disagree. Two sides to every debate and that's what we do here.

Joe is in already in over his head IMHO, we can acquire help easily, but right now we are playing our worst ball and a lot of that is on Joe. Tatum needs to get back to early season form or did Joe already burn him out? We really need a better head coach IMHO, Damon leaving can’t help or be good.

The issue of finding a replacement for Damon is irrelevant for this season.  

Generating interest is not the problem but finding the right coach is no easy task.  I expect to see a lot of turnover in the coaching staff.

Each head coach around the league gets to assemble his own staff.  That means that Joe Mazzulla will have great inluence in that process.

Quite frankly I have a low level of confidence that he can take this team to the top and I would not be shocked if we lose in the first round.  Why would I feel any different in his ability to assemble a coaching staff?

Brad took the interim tag off of him and that was a vote of confidence.  It should give him (CJ) a sense of security and stability.  However it looks to me more like a premature decision.  In my opinion he has yet to prove to be a worthy head coach for the Celtics.  Brad should have waited until the end of the season and the playoffs and then evaluated if the Celtics should move forward with Joe.  

NBA free agents will not be lining up to sign with Boston.  Having a great coach can be a difference maker to players that are looking to change teams.

dboss wrote:The issue of finding a replacement for Damon is irrelevant for this season.  

Generating interest is not the problem but finding the right coach is no easy task.  I expect to see a lot of turnover in the coaching staff.

Each head coach around the league gets to assemble his own staff.  That means that Joe Mazzulla will have great inluence in that process.

Quite frankly I have a low level of confidence that he can take this team to the top and I would not be shocked if we lose in the first round.  Why would I feel any different in his ability to assemble a coaching staff?

Brad took the interim tag off of him and that was a vote of confidence.  It should give him (CJ) a sense of security and stability.  However it looks to me more like a premature decision.  In my opinion he has yet to prove to be a worthy head coach for the Celtics.  Brad should have waited until the end of the season and the playoffs and then evaluated if the Celtics should move forward with Joe.  

NBA free agents will not be lining up to sign with Boston.  Having a great coach can be a difference maker to players that are looking to change teams.

+1

+1+1