UPDATE: Longtime Boston Celtics executive Danny Ainge has officially stepped down from his position as president of basketball operations.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, who initially reported Ainge was considering a departure, reports the Celtics have confirmed Ainge's retirement plans and will promote head coach Brad Stevens to President of Basketball Operations.
Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes reports the Celtics are considering multiple candidates to replace Stevens as head coach amid the promotion including Los Angeles Lakers assistant Jason Kidd and former Atlanta Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce.
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Longtime Boston Celtics executive Danny Ainge is reported to be seriously considering stepping down from his position as president of basketball operations.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports Ainge is scheduled to meet with the media on Wednesday, one day after the Celtics were eliminated by the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA Playoffs, and could announce his decision to depart from the franchise.
Ainge, 62, is credited for putting together the Celtics' last championship team, acquiring Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen via trade to play alongside franchise forward Paul Pierce-- known collectively as the "Big Three" -- during the 2007-08 season. The team saw an immediate turnaround, winning the title after two consecutive playoff absences and remaining a contender in the Eastern Conference for the majority of the next 13 seasons.
The former Celtics point guard is the third-longest-tenured active lead executive of an NBA franchise behind only Pat Riley of the Miami Heat (hired in 1995) and San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich (1996).
Ainge joined the Celtics front office in 2003 as part of one of the initial moves made by owner Wyc Grousbeck after purchasing the franchise the previous fall. The former guard was hired midway through the Celtics' playoff series against the then-New Jersey Nets during the Eastern Conference semifinals, which also resulted in the Nets eliminating Boston.
Ainge spent the majority of his playing career with the Celtics after being selected at No. 31 overall in the 1981 NBA Draft. The former BYU standout spent the next eight seasons in Boston, which included winning two NBA championships in 1984 and 1986.
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