The Boston Celtics are still hurting after suffering one of the most devastating losses in franchise history by dropping Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals at home to the Miami Heat, 103-84.
There was some speculation that perhaps rookie head coach Joe Mazzulla wouldn’t be back, but the team is keeping him moving forward.
On Sunday, NBA insider Shams Charania reported that former NBA star Sam Cassell will be joining Mazzulla’s staff for next season.
Sam Cassell has agreed to join the Boston Celtics coaching staff under Joe Mazzulla, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 4, 2023
Cassell played 15 seasons in the NBA starting in the 1993-94 season, and he was fortunate enough to win back-to-back world championships in his first two seasons with the Houston Rockets.
Midway through the 2007-08 season, he was waived by the Los Angeles Clippers, allowing him to join the Celtics for the balance of the schedule and win a third championship ring.
Since retiring, Cassell has been an assistant coach for the Clippers, Washington Wizards, and Philadelphia 76ers.
The Celtics have one of the more talented rosters in the NBA behind star duo Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but many feel they lack the fight and toughness needed to win it all.
They reached the NBA Finals last season after getting red-hot at midseason, only to blow a 2-1 series lead and lose in six games to the Golden State Warriors.
For a franchise such as the Celtics that has won 17 championships, anything short of the grand prize is seen as a failure, and with Tatum and Brown entering their primes soon, the expectations and pressure will only continue to build.
NEXT: Fans React To What Danny Ainge Said About Joe Mazzulla
