Celtics coach Brad Stevens may feel pull of Indiana & Other Celtic News

BOSTON GLOBE

By Gary WashburnGLOBE STAFF DECEMBER 14, 2014

When Brad Stevens accepted the Celtics’ coaching job in July 2013 — leaving Butler University after leading the school to two national championship games — he was considered one of the rising coaches in America, a wunderkind who could emerge as an elite NBA coach.

Or, if Stevens did not find success at the highest level, there was a half-serious joke circling the college ranks that he would eventually be the successor to MikeKrzyzewski at Duke.

Well, Coach K signed a contract extension and isn’t leaving Duke any time soon, but there is a potential job opening that could more intimately involve Stevens: Indiana University.

The Hoosiers have a coach, Tom Crean, but there have been some troubles off the court, while Indiana has been a shell of itself on the court. Indiana is 7-2 but the losses are to Eastern Washington at home, and a 20-point pounding by Louisville last week. The Hoosiers finished 17-15 last season and did not participate in postseason play.

Crean enjoyed a stellar season in 2012-13 until you consider Indiana, a Final Four favorite with two top-five draft picks, lost to Syracuse in the Sweet 16. It’s not that Crean is on the hot seat, but his position at Indiana is tenuous and there has been speculation that the school would make a hard push at Stevens, a Zionsville, Ind., native, if Crean were to exit.

Anthony Davis was an All-Star last season, but the 21-year-old has reached superstar levels in his third year. It’s not uncommon for elite players to make the second-to-third-year jump to stardom.

Dan Dakich, a former IU player, assistant, and head coach, is a colleague of Stevens’s and a close follower of the Indiana program. He said there are many alumni who would love Stevens to return home.

“I get asked all the time, ‘Hey, who would you hire?’ ” said Dakich, a college basketball analyst who hosts a radio show in Indianapolis. “I said before the question even finishes, I’d hire Brad Stevens and [Virginia Commonwealth coach] Shaka Smart. I don’t care if it’s the Celtics. I don’t care if it’s the Lakers. I don’t care if it’s Duke. I don’t care if it’s Indiana. I don’t care if it’s to be my accountant. They’re so smart. They’re so good with people and they just have a way of relating. I can’t imagine that any major [college] job is going to open up and they’re not going to get a call.”

Stevens became one of the top coaches in the country by leading a mid-major to two national title games, the second occurring with Butler’s best player from the previous run, GordonHayward, having become a lottery pick.

“Let’s be honest, Brad made himself into [a top coaching prospect],” Dakich said. “Because nobody really knew him as a high school or college player. Nobody really knew him as a coach until he got the [Butler] job. I remember a lot of people said [Butler athletic director] Barry Collier made a mistake. I talked to him and watched and said, ‘Listen, they didn’t make any mistake.’ ”

Indiana is still regarded as one of the jewel jobs in the country, but the basketball landscape has changed. The school does not have a highly regarded football program to bring in more income. The Big Ten has taken its share of criticism for lacking elite athletes in comparison to Kentucky and other major programs.

And keeping some of the top in-state talent home has become a significant issue.

“One of the reasons it’s a great job is because of how many kids come through and are well-taught to play basketball,” Dakich said. “That’s why this job will always be a good job. In the state of Indiana, Tom has done an absolutely wonderful job of bringing the prestige back to Indiana, until recently. But they can’t have any more guys get arrested. They just can’t. And they’ve got to keep kids here, and that’s been a challenge.”

What would make Stevens attractive to Indiana is his ability to recruit players, as he did at Butler with Matt Howard, Hayward, and Shelvin Mack, and turn them into a productive unit. Those players were not considered top recruits.

“Brad and the guys at Butler, they were what Indiana used to be, and that’s a big deal,” Dakich said. “Tom has a done a really good job in state [with academics], so the job itself in state has really been enhanced by the job Tom has done. The job is held in much higher regard because of the job Tom Crean has done.”

Stevens has never even discussed returning to college coaching, and NBA sources said he is totally invested in the Celtics. He wants to restore the organization to a contender and also has four more years on his contract. The organization made a sizable investment in his talents.

“I know he enjoys the hell out of the Celtics,” Dakich said. “I know he enjoys the challenge that is the NBA. I know that. We’ve talked about that. That’s not media [talk]. I’m not going to say that ultimately the Indiana job wouldn’t appeal to him, but I’m saying I honestly don’t think people think, ‘Of course he would come back.’

“I bet you Brad probably thought about it when he was at Butler, but I would venture a guess he hasn’t given that two thoughts since he’s been with the Celtics. I would bet my life on it.”

‘Old man’ Jefferson recalls his Celtic days

It’s stunning how fast time flies. Al Jefferson is now a team leader, a voice of reason, a sage who can tell young guys about his early years in the league. It was a full 10 years ago that Jefferson passed on a scholarship to Mississippi State to enter the NBA draft, and was the 15th overall pick by the Celtics.

Once considered a project, Jefferson has turned himself into one the premier centers in the league, an old-school player with crafty post moves, brilliant up-and-under moves, and a smooth fadeaway jumper.

Jefferson was finally rewarded for his efforts in Boston, Minnesota, and Utah with a three-year, $41 million contract from the Charlotte Hornets. He reflected on his NBA journey, a road that was rather arduous until recent years.

“This is my 11th year. You’ve got over 10 years in this thing, man, that’s a long time,” he said. “It’s a blessing. Your career don’t last that long. For me to be in my 11th year right now, man — when I get out of the bed every morning, it ain’t that same cat getting out of the bed when I was 19, 20. It takes me a couple of steps to get going and I ain’t been deep in the playoffs like [Kendrick] Perkins has. I can just imagine how those types of guys feel.

“I got more years behind me than I do in front of me. I’ll put it that way.”

Jefferson played three seasons with the Celtics before being traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the deal that netted Kevin Garnett. Jefferson was a rising talent, averaging 16 points per game in his third season. He spent three years in Minnesota before being traded to Utah, where he played three seasons.

He helped the Jazz to one playoff appearance before becoming a free agent and signing a career-defining deal with the Hornets. But Jefferson said he is constantly reminded about his beginnings with the Celtics, and he has no issue with that association.

“I get a lot of people, more than you think, will walk [up] to me and say, ‘Man, I hate that we traded you for Kevin Garnett. We should have gotten two championships instead of one if we were going to trade you,’ ” Jefferson said. “I get that all the time. To this day, I still get it.”

Jefferson and Rajon Rondo remain friends, and share respect.

“Me and Rondo go back to high school,” Jefferson said. “Me and him got a chance to know each other in the McDonald’s All-American Game, so even though we only had one year together [with the Celtics], we had a friendship that’s going to last forever.”

Jefferson said he always believed Rondo would be an impact NBA player.

“He had special tools that no one else had,” Jefferson said. “He was very smart and had a very high IQ. A lot of guys said it was easy for him to be that point guard playing with three Hall of Famers, but to me that should be hard, playing with three guys who have already established themselves. I think that was the hardest thing anybody could do. He made it look easy.”

West back in the States and looking for a team

Delonte West is back in the United States, spending the holidays in his native Maryland as he looks for another opportunity in the NBA. West spent time playing in China after a summer league stint with the Los Angeles Clippers.

He signed with Yao Ming’s Shanghai Sharks but his tenure lasted just four games before he was released. While there was speculation that West was banished for disciplinary reasons, he told the Globe that he was injured taking a charge and the Sharks decided they needed a big man to replace him.

West said team management approached him about his choice for an American teammate and he chose Maryland native Michael Beasley, whose time with the Miami Heat was uneven at best. The Sharks believed Beasley could play in the frontcourt, but when he displayed more guard skills, they decided to sign Bernard James, formerly of the Dallas Mavericks. Chinese teams are allowed just two American players on their rosters, and West was released.

“The team told me they were not happy but it was nothing personal,” he said. “I was injured and they thought Mike was going to play center and they didn’t want two guards. Since he had been playing [well] and they were not sure on the timetable on my back injury, they were going to replace me with a big man. I understand.”

West said he left the club on good terms but understands the perception that his early exit was because of attitude issues. He said there were no issues with his coaches or management.

“They left the door open for me to return next season and also to have a coaching job in the near future if I want it,” he said. “I think there’s a perception that I went over there and did something stupid, and that’s not the case.”

Clippers coach Doc Rivers said West could help an NBA team after assessing him during summer league games, but West’s past misdoings have made it difficult for him to get a serious look. West last played for the Dallas Mavericks in 2011-12 but left the team after a dispute with coach Rick Carlisle.

West told the Globe his back is completely healed and his weight has increased to 195 pounds after playing summer league games at a slight 180. NBA teams can start signing players to 10-day contracts on Jan. 5. Many teams will release players with nonguaranteed contracts, meaning roster spots will eventually open for players looking for 10-day deals.

West has openly discussed some of his personal issues and feels he has matured the past few years since becoming a father. Now a father of two, West said he’s prepared to return to the NBA and become a veteran leader.

“The misunderstanding about me in the NBA is being labeled bipolar, which I believe I’m not,” he said. “It was more competitiveness in me to win and [wanting] to be in the mix of things led to frustration. And a lack of communication skills when [I’m] angry didn’t allow me to communicate with coaches and teammates about [my issues].

“Now at the age of 31, being the father of two, I can really enjoy just playing the game and through growth as a man being away from the game.”

Whether West could help an NBA team or even be considered for a contract is up for debate. But West said he is mentally and emotionally ready to return.

“All I want to do is play basketball, play hard every play and give it my all,” he said. “If at the end of the day we lose, I know how to channel my frustration better. I know how to communicate better now. So I’m just praying for the opportunity. I think any team that gives me a shot is going to get everything they need and more.”

West said he is in playing shape and working out every day in Maryland. Rivers gave him an opportunity to play for the Clippers’ summer league entry and he averaged 6 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in three games. Instead of trying to make a club in training camp, he accepted a one-year offer from Shanghai.

Chinese clubs have lured ex-NBA players with lucrative contracts and the opportunity to put up big numbers. Players have returned from China with mixed experiences, such as former Celtic Shavlik Randolph, who got into a salary dispute with his team over the extent of an injury.

“I know that a lot of teams need guard help,” West said, “and I am one of the best free agents on the market. I just pray I get a shot.”

Layups

Monday is Dec. 15, the date teams that signed free agents during the offseason are allowed to deal those players. There has been speculation that Charlotte’s Lance Stephenson could be on the trade block just a few months after signing a three-year, $27 million deal. But the Hornets are expected to hold on to the mercurial guard, who has recently shown flashes of meshing with his new teammates, which has been an issue . . . Charlotte coach Steve Clifford said suspended guard Jeffery Taylor, who is eligible to return to the lineup Wednesday against Phoenix, has been dealing well with his personal issues. Taylor pleaded guilty to a domestic assault charge in East Lansing, Mich., in September, and was suspended 24 games by commissioner Adam Silver. The NBA Players Association took issue with the length of the suspension but Taylor did not appeal. He is also coming off a torn Achilles’ tendon and Clifford said he is nearing full health. The Hornets could use another perimeter shooter if they are to make a playoff run in the Eastern Conference . . . One of the few bright spots for the Detroit Pistons has been the play of rookie point guard Spencer Dinwiddie, who has come back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament to play in six games as a reserve. Dinwiddie left the University of Colorado despite the ACL tear, and fell to the second round, making him a value pick for the Pistons. The most impressive of the second-round picks has been Philadelphia’s K.J. McDaniels, who is averaging 10.1 points off the bench. McDaniels, from Clemson, decided not to take a three-year, partially guaranteed deal and instead accepted a one-year deal, banking that his rookie success would garner a guaranteed, long-term contract next summer. So far, McDaniels has bet correctly on himself. Another second-round pick getting playing time has been Houston’s Nick Johnson, the nephew of Celtics great Dennis Johnson. The biggest concern about Johnson entering the draft out of the University of Arizona was a lack of a true position but he has settled in at point guard behind Patrick Beverley . . . The Brooklyn Nets traded Andrei Kirilenko to the 76ers, which is the first of what is expected to be a series of moves as the Nets look to rebuild. The problem is, their 2016 and 2018 first-round picks belong to the Celtics, making rebuilding through the draft nearly impossible. General manager Billy King took a calculated risk to trade for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to make a title run last season that resulted in a second-round ousting by the Miami Heat.

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There are several college head coaching jobs that could make a coach leave the NBA, and Indiana is one of them.

Right now, however, i don't think they're ready to show Tom Crean the door.  Indiana would seem like a natural next step for Stevens, but I would speculate he's just getting into his current challenge and has a way to go before he's going to be ready to move on.  From everything we've learned about him, I think he'll give it enough time here to make a realistic run at building the Celtics back into a top tier team.

It would be tempting, I'm sure, if an Indiana, Michigan or Kentucky came calling, just to name a few.  But I think Brad Stevens has at least a couple of seasons to go here.

It's rather ironic that we've all been titillated sufficiently by Celtics wins and close losses to forget the dire preseason predictions for this team. (I love predictions.) I'm sure Brad had expectations too and (perhaps with help from friends and family and maybe even the Celtics brass) is remaining realistic during this adventure. Hey, maybe he even has his very own Glimmer Thread posted in his office. LOL.

Sam

“I know he enjoys the hell out of the Celtics,” Dakich said. “I know he enjoys the challenge that is the NBA. I know that. We’ve talked about that. That’s not media [talk]. I’m not going to say that ultimately the Indiana job wouldn’t appeal to him, but I’m saying I honestly don’t think people think, ‘Of course he would come back.’

“I bet you Brad probably thought about it when he was at Butler, but I would venture a guess he hasn’t given that two thoughts since he’s been with the Celtics. I would bet my life on it.”

How do they get "Celtics coach Brad Stevens may feel pull of Indiana" as a title for an article that includes the above?