Wyc Grousbeck’s Change in Behavior Puts Brad Stevens’ Future in Jeopardy After Celtics’ Playoffs Exit

The Boston Celtics just exited the Playoffs at the hands of the New York Knicks. Thus ends their hopes of repeating as NBA champions and their season. So there’s no more surprises left in store, right? Wrong! A reporter who covers the Celtics just suggested a possibility that may see the organization turned on its head soon.

The Celtics’ ownership changed hands this year, with Bill Chisholm purchasing the club for a massive $6.1 billion. But the previous owner, Wyc Grousbeck, will remain as the CEO through the 2027/28 NBA season. And host of the Garden Report, John Zannis, suggests that this could lead to a change in Wyc’s behaviour. One that could threaten Celtics GM Brad Stevens’ job.

When discussing whether Brad might step down as the Celtics’ general manager, John Zannis refused to rule out the likelihood of it happening. “I don’t think it’s beyond the realm of possibility,” he said. And this stems from one thing — change. Or the lack of it before this season. You see, after the Celtics won the chip last year, Brad Stevens decided not to make any changes to the championship-winning core of this team.

Could Brad Stevens step down as Celtics GM?

“I don’t think it’s beyond the realm of possibility.” @John_Zannis

Join the chat LIVE now: https://t.co/5c4JXpHxQa pic.twitter.com/bh5k5EVLpm

— Garden Report: Celtics Postgame Show (@TheGardenReport) May 17, 2025

But as they say, hindsight is 20/20. The Celtics’ season is now being dissected from every angle to figure out what led to their early exit in this postseason. And Jayson Tatum‘s injury and the revelation of how reliant Joe Mazzulla and his men are on him didn’t help things either. The bottom line is this — there’s a slew of changes coming to Boston.

And Brad Stevens’ firing may be first on the list. After all, it’s not like Wyc will be cutting checks for Brad and the Boston Celtics. And the new owners will likely overhaul a lot about the organization, and it might just be that they begin with the GM. But what are some of the other things that might be different about the Celtics soon?

Expect a New Boston Celtics Team Next Season

There are a lot of pieces that may be seen as tradeable heading into the new season. And the Celtics will definitely try to get them off their payroll. After all, the Celtics are set to pay some steep luxury tax this season because of the repeater’s tax. And all this will culminate in Boston spending a projected $510 million next year when you account for their payroll and repeater tax penalties. And per what MassLive reports from its sources, this Boston dynasty that won in 2024  may have always been on a two-year clock.

Among the players who fit the above-mentioned criteria are Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, and Sam Hauser. But moving them might not be as easy as the Boston Celtics think. Hauser, who’ll earn $10 million next season can be a trade exception for a team. But take Kristaps, for instance. He has a deal worth $30 million that’s expiring soon. However, he can’t really be considered one of their better trade assets now, owing to the health issues he’s facing.

May 16, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Boston Celtics players watch from the bench during the end of the fourth quarter of game six in the second round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

In a similar vein, Jrue Holiday is on a 3-year deal that sports an average salary of $33.6 million. We don’t see too many teams lining up to pick up his hefty contract either. And Joe Mazzulla not utilizing Holiday’s capabilities on offense may also lead to teams viewing him as less of a viable option to add value to their lineups. On the other hand, players like Luke Kornet and Al Horford may not come back next season, either. It’s not because they don’t want to. But unless they’re willing to accept deals that are very easy on Boston’s wallet, there may not be enough left to accommodate them.

All in all, things will change big-time in Boston. And if Brad Stevens isn’t the first domino to fall…Boy, does he have a huge job on his hands next season!

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