National Basketball Association

Brad Stevens takes over Boston Celtics' front office, Danny Ainge out

Updated Jun. 2, 2021 7:18 p.m. ET

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It's a big news day in Boston – and not because of a Celtics playoff win.

No, the Celtics' season ended Tuesday with a 123-109 loss to the Brooklyn Nets in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series.

Then news broke Wednesday that current President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge will resign from his role with the team, and current coach Brad Stevens will become the new head of basketball operations.

Ainge, a former Boston player, has been with the Celtics since 2003. He engineered the "Big Three" of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen that led the Celtics to the NBA's best record and the championship in 2007-08. Following that season, he was named the NBA's executive of the year. 

In 2013, in one of the most lopsided trades in NBA history, Ainge swapped Garnett and Pierce, among others, for three Nets first-round picks. Ainge was then responsible for putting together the franchise's current young core featuring Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. In all, the Celtics made the playoffs in 15 of Ainge's 18 seasons.

Stevens has been the head coach of the Celtics since 2013, when he left Butler to head to Boston and join the NBA's coaching ranks. He has led the team to the playoffs in seven straight seasons, but under his watch, the Celtics have never advanced past the Eastern Conference finals.

It was reported that the Celtics, led by Stevens, will begin a search for the franchise's next head coach.

NBA insiders offered some insight and perspective in the wake of the announcement.

Colin Cowherd: I reject that Danny Ainge and Brad Stevens were a failure | THE HERD

Colin Cowherd discusses the Boston Celtics' decision to make Brad Stevens the head of basketball operations after Danny Ainge's decision to retire. Hear why Colin rejects the idea that the two were a failure with the organization.

For more up-to-date news on all things Celtics, click here to register for alerts on the FOX Sports app!

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