Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens was mic’d up for Saturday’s All-Star practice in New Orleans and the NBA caught a brief interaction between him and Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James.
On the surface, it wasn’t much: The coach of the Eastern Conference All-Stars showed James some respect by asking him how many minutes he wanted to play in Sunday’s game and noting that he’ll determine everybody else’s playing time from there. As the two talked about how special it is to be at All-Star Weekend, Stevens said, “You know what, it’s really fun to be here. I’ve got an 11-year-old [son Brady], and he’s just jacked up.”
Since locking up the rights to coach the East stars, Stevens has stressed that the honor reflects positively on the progress of his Celtics team but has downplayed the significance of his role in the All-Star Game.
Saturday’s interaction with James highlights what may be the biggest benefit of the trip for Stevens and his staff. It’s a chance for Boston coaches to interact and build relationships with some of the best talent in the NBA. And not only does Stevens get a better feel for those players, but they get a small glimpse of what he’s like as a coach.
The Celtics have positioned themselves as an intriguing franchise to players because of the young core they’ve constructed and the assets they have that should make them a regular contender in the future. Still, the brief interactions with Stevens this weekend could help create further intrigue among star players whenever they reach free agency.
Stevens has said he’ll be willing to draw up a play if he’s asked but he’ll otherwise stay out of the players’ way during Sunday’s game. His most difficult task might simply be making sure Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas is happy with his playing time in a reserve role.
“When it gets time, I’m going to give him that look I try to give him when we’re on the bench in [TD] Garden,” Thomas joked to reporters at All-Star availability Saturday. “Hopefully, he gives me a few minutes to put on a show for the fans.”
Even when the idea of Stevens coaching the East stars seemed unlikely, Thomas said he wanted to get his coach to New Orleans — and for more than just the selfish reason of being able to lobby for more playing time. Thomas recognizes the significance of having Stevens and his staff in New Orleans.
“It’s very special. It says a lot about the direction our organization is going in,” Thomas said. “I’m just happy for that coaching staff because they deserve it and they work hard.”
Stevens has repeatedly noted that he would have gladly traded his trip if it could have meant sneaking another one of Boston’s players onto the All-Star roster. Near the end of his marathon 40-minute availability after arriving Friday, Stevens lamented, “I wish [Al Horford] was here. I think he deserves to be here.”
Downplay it as he might, Stevens deserves to be here, too. He has quickly established himself as one of the best coaches in the league and did so under less-than-ideal roster turnover during the early part of his tenure.
Despite having his preferred starting lineup for just 21 of Boston’s 57 games this season, Stevens still has his team in second place in the East. He has instilled a toughness in his team that it will not worry about things like injuries or hectic schedules.
That’s a big reason why Stevens is in New Orleans: The Celtics haven’t let those injuries or a travel-heavy early-season schedule detour them from making the strides that were expected this season. Stevens probably would have preferred to use this extended All-Star break to dissect extra film and prepare for Boston’s final 25 games of the regular season. But as the James interaction confirms, he recognizes how special this experience is.
Even if he knows his role on Sunday won’t be all that important.
“That game is for the players,” Stevens said. “Coaches get a good seat.”
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