For the second time in three years, Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens has been named the NBA’s Executive of the Year, the league announced today (Twitter link).

Stevens, who also won the award for the 2023/24 season, is the 12th individual to claim Executive of the Year honors multiple times, according to the NBA.

The 2025/26 season was widely expected to be a “gap year” for the Celtics, who had been in operating above the second tax apron but lost star forward Jayson Tatum to an Achilles tear during the 2025 playoffs. Stevens made a series of cost-cutting moves last offseason, trading away Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis and allowing Luke Kornet and Al Horford to walk in free agency.

However, with Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and Payton Pritchard leading the way and modestly paid depth players such as Neemias Queta, Sam Hauser, and Jordan Walsh playing key roles, the Celtics remained competitive both before and after Tatum’s return in March. The team won 56 regular season games despite the fact that Stevens completed another series of financially motivated transactions at the trade deadline to get Boston’s team salary below the luxury tax line.

More to come…