Celtics Hire Brad Stevens, Leaving Sixers as Only Team Without Head Coach

In the stealthiest of moves -- as in, Woj wasn't the one who reported it -- Danny Ainge has hired Butler's Brad Stevens to coach the Boston Celtics next year. Completely out of left field. Brad's name has been thrown around in the past as a possible NBA coach, but everything we'd heard was that the Celtics were close to hiring Brett Brown and Stevens wasn't even in the conversation.

Then again maybe not. Brad Stevens just got Butler into the Big East and comes off a pretty unbelievable six years there in which he led the Bulldogs to a 166-49 record and two consecutive National Championship games. It's a ballsy hire, but I think a brilliant one. He's got terrific demeanor, he's personable as all hell, and he was basically spearheading the collegiate movement towards advanced stats. I love it for all parties, most specifically the NBA. Less old idiots is good news for everybody, unless you've got a strong anti-Boston bias, which I actually don't. Hopefully that means the beginning of the SHELVIN MACK ERA.

This, we now know, leaves the Sixers as the only team in the NBA without a head coach. Sean tweeted the Sixers haven't had a coach in about one-fifth of the year, which feels like a long time. This just means that Sam Hinkie can take even more of his time to find the perfect coach or maybe just build him out of old computer parts and bubble gum or something. No other team will sign Brett Brown or Chris Finch. They are ours for the taking.

Hell of a move for Boston and a much better one than, oh, say, Jason Kidd. Did Ainge out-Hinkie the Hinkie on this one? Maybe. Just maybe. Move Rajon Rondo and we'll talk, C's.

/revs tank