Kemba Walker is already forming a strong partnership with Brad Stevens

Brad Stevens is no stranger to change in the NBA, especially at the point guard position. Kemba Walker will be his fifth different starting point guard on opening night as he begins his seventh season as head coach of the Celtics.

For the first time in Boston, there is seemingly some certainty in place at the point guard spot over the long-term for Stevens. Unlike other guards that were cashed for other assets (Rajon Rondo, Isaiah Thomas) or walked away for a fresh start elsewhere amid constant speculation about their future (Kyrie Irving), Walker has committed to Boston for the long haul and part of the reason for that is Stevens. He has noticed how the head coach has maximized his talent over the past six years at the position

“The point guards are very successful. They score a lot,” Walker said with a laugh when asked about Stevens’ system. “But yeah, the point guards are very successful. He’s a great coach. I know he watches tons of film. I’ve just been around him a few days and I know that. But I’m excited. I’m excited to get things going and learn him some more, him learning me more. I only got a chance to play against him so there’s still a lot that we both have to learn from each other, but we’ll get there. There’s nothing more important to me than having a great relationship with the head coach, so we’ll get there.”

That relationship has already begun ahead of Wednesday’s official intro. Stevens told BostonSportsJournal.com on Wednesday that the All-Star had already spent time with Stevens at his home breaking down film on Tuesday night. Stevens is wasting little time to try to figure out the best way to maximize the team’s prized addition.

“Him and I watched 30 minutes of film last night at my house,” Stevens told BSJ. “We're on it. We're trying our best.”

The beginning of a true partnership between a star player and a head coach will be something that has to be a welcome development for Stevens in the backcourt after a tumultuous year.

“It was him and one of his buddies,” Stevens explained. “It was nice. It was just a good time.”

Irving is as talented as any guard in the East on the offensive end but he was always working to try to fit within Stevens’ offensive system that prioritized ball movement over isolation that Irving thrived at. Stevens spent much of the last two seasons walking on eggshells while working with Irving to try to ensure he gave the point guard no added motivation to walk away when his contract expired last spring. Those efforts came up empty anyway once Irving and the Celtics never meshed fully as the 2018-19 season continued, leading Irving to check out against the Bucks.

Walker is not the same type of talent as Irving but he has always been deemed a positive locker room presence who is open to coaching throughout his career. There was mutual admiration between Stevens and Irving two years ago as well but Walker doesn’t have the previous track record of turning his back on a winning core this time around like Irving. He saw more talent and opportunity in Boston and is eager to start with a coach who has a history of maximizing players with his skillset.

“He loves basketball,” Walker said of Stevens. “He loves basketball, like, that’s all he talks about. He talks a lot about basketball. Like I said, he watches a lot of film. He just loves the game. He studies the game so much and I think I’m pretty intrigued by that. That’s how it has to be. Your head coach, he has to love the game, he has to set the tone for the players. I just think that’s how it has to be.”

The Celtics obviously have their work cut out for them to compete in the East after the departure of Irving, Al Horford and Marcus Morris. Stevens knows the challenges of integrating talent into a new system after a career in one city (Gordon Hayward, Horford) so he wanted to get a head start with Walker before he heads to Team USA camp next month.

“He's going to go to Team USA so it was fun to have him over and kind of go through what we're thinking about,” Stevens told BSJ. “I'm trying to make this as easy a transition for him and for our other guys that are going to play with him. I think it will be a good transition.”

The challenge is going to be great for Stevens but most of the toughest puzzles to solve will be far from the point guard position. Instead, he can rest his easy knowing his best player is all-in with the franchise for a change. The Celtics have a history of overachieving with that kind of buy-in from their best player under Stevens. The front office still has work to do to put together a contending team in place in the coming months and years alongside Walker but the guard and Stevens are eager to work together to maximize what the Celtics can do on a more level playing field in the East.

“I think a lot of basketball fans are really excited about a lot of teams -- I guess I could use the word even. It’s just a lot more open,” Walker said. “A lot of guys are going to other teams and it’s fun. It’ll be fun. It’ll be fun.”