Sam Cassell is joining the Celtics as an assistant coach under Joe Mazzulla, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.
The longtime NBA guard spent the past three seasons as a lead assistant for the Sixers under Doc Rivers.
Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens ended speculation after the Eastern Conference Finals when he stated that Mazzulla would remain the head coach. However, changes were anticipated to surround Mazzulla with more experienced staff.
Cassell interviewed with the Rockets this spring for the head coaching job that went to Ime Udoka. Temple University was said to be interested in hiring Cassell as its head coach in March, but he decided to stay in the NBA. He also interviewed last year for the Jazz head coaching job.
Before his stint in Philadelphia, Cassell served as an assistant with the Wizards and Clippers. He has a history in Boston, as he was on the Celtics’ roster in 2008 when they won the championship during the twilight of his playing career.
This sucks! He was my first pick for our head coach, and then was hoping he would stick as an assistant….instead he is going to the Evil Empire
Vogel turned down C’s bench coach offer because he wanted to be a HC and didn’t see a path there, so not sure what the upside is for Cassel being a bench coach for a team where the novice HC was handpicked by the GM but good for Celts.
Cassell isn’t in the running for Toronto, the only remaining vacancy. He has ties to Boston, and should A, be the AHC, and B, have an easy path if Joe gets let go within the next couple seasons.
Also, they should continue to have success regardless of what they do in the offseason, which would reflect well on Cassell too.
I hope you’re right but I just don’t see Stevens letting go of his protege Mazzula. Especially since now the Celtics are run like a country club where nobody gets fired unless they commit some sort of crime.
It’s no fun getting fired.
What does this mean for Doc? Cassell has been with him forever
I thought maybe Doc could come back to the Sixers S an assistant
The Sixers are paying him anyway
However this is just too out of the box thinking
I wouldn’t say “out of the box” thinking. More like fantastical unrealistic thinking.
Well even if it is Pie in the Sky
Would it work though
At this point Sam should have his own staff.
No he shouldn’t.
Welcome back Sam Cassell to the Celtics! As a former guard I assume Sam will work with our guards. As Brad Stevens has said, Celts have the talent, we just need to play better & smarter. Look how Miami is playing as a team; can beat anyone. Now we need a big man coach and of course assistant coaches for our DEFENSE and offense. Have to get our two stars to let their offense come to them instead of just trying to do it all. Hope Rondo still comes! Go Celtics!
Haha, Sam Cassell, 3x NBA champ, All NBA. About 15 yrs playing, 15 years coaching, going to be taking orders from Mazzulla, some nobody wife beater? What a joke of an organization Stevens has turned the Celtics into.
Sam should’ve had his own team already