The Celtics are hiring Sam Cassell to join Joe Mazzulla’s staff, making good on Brad Stevens’ promise of “at least one addition to the bench … somebody that has a lot of NBA experience for sure.”
Cassell played 15 seasons in the NBA, winning three championships, two with Houston and one with Boston in his final year. He made the All-Star game once as well as one All-NBA team.
He’s been an assistant coach for 14 years, starting in Washington and then joining Doc Rivers in Los Angeles and Philadelphia. He was part of the coaching purge in Philly after the Sixers lost to the Celtics.
Karalis’ take:
It’s weird symmetry for Cassell that his 15th season as a coach and a player brought him to Boston. Let’s see if he can bring that same magic with him.
I really like this hire. It’s a smart addition to the team for a few reasons.
He’s a successful former point guard. He has won a championship with legends like Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler in his early days, he’s quarterbacked some fast-paced teams with prime Ray Allen in Milwaukee, and he has been the “good locker room presence” vet.
He’s seen a lot as a player, and he’s seen more as a coach, being on the sidelines with a phenom in young John Wall, a Big 3 that could never cash in with the Clippers, and part of the disappointment in Philadelphia.
If anyone has seen the absolute highs and lows of this league, it’s Cassell. Of course, he comes to Boston with aspirations of being a head coach, I don’t think he’s coming to Boston to push Mazzulla out of the front seat. I do anticipate he’ll be named the lead assistant or some sort of elevated title, but I do think he’s here to support Mazzulla. Maybe it’ll be a short-term thing as he goes for head coaching jobs down the line, but for now, it’s what Boston needs.
The players are getting one of their own on the bench, and he can relate to everyone based on how his career went. He knows what it takes to win, having hit enough clutch shots in his life that he has a library of gifs dedicated to him celebrating. Cassell had an edge to him when he was playing, something these Celtics could use right now.
He also knows what it’s like to be traded, both from expressing a desire to be moved and being surprised by it. He gets the business side of the league, which is important for a group of guys at this stage of their lives.
Cassell also understands where the league has been and where it’s going. He has been around long enough to understand what worked in the mid-90s and the mid-2020s. Life in the league has evolved, but Cassell has been around for that evolution.
That's important for Mazzulla to have next to him on the bench. Cassell’s first ring came while Mazzulla was still using safety scissors in elementary school. Having someone in his ear regularly about the constants in the NBA regardless of era will be extraordinarily helpful.
I always used the term “paint by numbers” to describe Mazzulla’s first season as a head coach. He has the analytics at his disposal and he lives by them a lot, even though sometimes, especially in the playoffs, he needs to coach by feel. Cassell can be the feel guy now, providing some guidance for Mazzulla in case he gets too stubborn about something.
This a great first step for the Celtics. I think it’s one that should calm a few people down. Mazzulla’s actual coaching staff will soon take shape, but just adding Cassell to the mix is a smart move. It’s a move that shows the front office understands what the team needs. It’s a confidence boost for people who have been questioning the process.
It also makes me very curious about what’s next.
