Cameron Iasimone
Anchor Staff Writer
Throughout the NBA offseason, we are usually tuned into seeing where certain star-free agents are going to take their talents. Whether it's extending their contract and sticking with the team they are already on, or if it is deciding to play somewhere else. As far as the Celtics go, which many people have mixed emotions about, their former point guard, Kemba Walker, has just recently signed a deal to play for the New York Knicks. With the absence of the point guard position, Boston was able to give former Lakers point guard, Dennis Schroder, a one year 5.9 million dollar deal to fill the void.
Aside from the player watch, Coach Brad Stevens, who coached the Celtics since the 2013-14 NBA season, is now the general manager after the retirement of former general manager, Danny Ainge. Ime Udoka, who was a former assistant to the Philadelphia 76ers, is now the new head coach of the Celtics.
Being fortunate enough to sit down with Assistant Coach Joe Mazzulla on my sports podcast, Cam's Corner, he opened up about what he expects going into this upcoming season without Kemba Walker.
"Kemba and I have a great history together. He got the best of me sometimes, I got the best of him in my playing days at West Virginia when he was at UConn. He is such a great guy, he knows the game of basketball and is a very hard worker. You don't need to coach a guy like that. He has been in the NBA for 10 years."
"As for the upcoming season, we have a lot of young talent and for me, I love coaching young guys because they are trying to find out who they are as a player. For me, as a coach, it is my job to guide them in the right direction and help them find out what works for them and what doesn't. Any way that I can help these guys get to that point has been the best part of coaching for me so far and I am excited to start my second year with the Celtics as quickly as possible."
Mazzulla is a very knowledgeable individual and talking with him, learning from him, I felt as though there was no better person to sit down and talk basketball about.
The Celtics finished 36-36 last season, landing the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference, losing the first round of the playoffs to the Brooklyn Nets four games to one.
The Celtics have a lot of new faces this year, but as far as Coach Mazzulla is concerned, there is nothing to worry about. "Every season, a team's goal is to come back better and stronger and that's what we intend to do."
For more words of wisdom from Joe Mazzulla, tune into my sports podcast at www.camscorner.net and follow all of my social media accounts, which you can find using the website link.