With the Eastern Conference finals officially in the rearview mirror, it sounds like the Celtics have made a decision on head coach Joe Mazzulla.
According to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe, all signs point to Mazzulla returning for the 2023-24 season.
“Not a huge surprise, but everything I’ve heard the last few days points to Joe Mazzulla being back with the Celtics next year,” Himmelsbach said.
Mazzulla was put in a tough spot this season, replacing a very talented coach in Ime Udoka.
The Celtics had success in the regular season under Mazzulla, owning a 57-25 record. In the playoffs, however, there were clear issues on display when it comes to making in-game adjustments.
Not a huge surprise, but everything I’ve heard the last few days points to Joe Mazzulla being back with the Celtics next year.
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) June 1, 2023
At the end of the day though, Mazzulla is just 34 years old. Moving on from him after one season would’ve been tough, especially since the Celtics were a win away from making the NBA Finals.
That being said, Mazzulla will have to show significant improvement next season if he wants to avoid the hot seat.