Getty Boston Celtics star Paul Pierce is defended on a drive by Landry Fields of the New York Knicks during a 2012 game.
Given his lack of front office experience, there was definitely a level of concern among some about Brad Stevens’ ability to run the Boston Celtics‘ basketball operations. However, the former coach has already quieted some of the skeptics, making two major moves in his first month as team president.
First came the Kemba Walker deal, which shaved millions off of the Celtics’ books and brought fan-favorite Al Horford back to Beantown. Shortly thereafter, Stevens tapped Ime Udoka to be his replacement on the sidelines; a move that won praise from around the basketball world.
While the early returns have been good, though, Stevens remains a front-office greenhorn. He’ll likely need a solid team of basketball minds and decision-makers in the trenches with him in order to get the Celtics back to the top of the mountain.
To that end, the Celtics are said to be eyeing a former baller and player personnel wunderkind to become Stevens’ right hand.
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B/R: Landry Fields a ‘Top Choice’ to Become Celtics GM
On Monday, Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer penned a report on the ripple effects of the Atlanta Hawks’ surprising playoff run. One byproduct of the team’s sudden and shocking ascent, per Fischer, is that other teams from around the Association could look to poach talent from the Hawks’ front office.
He singled out Atlanta’s assistant general manager, Landry Fields, who played five years in the league with the New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors until injuries forced him into a suit-and-tie role.
According to Fischer, Fields is very much “a top choice of Stevens and Celtics ownership” to become Boston’s new GM. That would put the 33-year-old in the No. 2 spot in the Celtics front office.
Fields is something of a rising star in the player personnel game. As noted by Fischer, he is someone who is “capable of winning favor with today’s players while also boasting the credentials and polish that come from a full four years at Stanford.”
Prior to joining the Hawks, Fields had served as GM for the San Antonio Spurs’ G League affiliate squad in Austin. It was a role in which he thrived due to his passion for developing players on and off the court, as revealed in a feature for the G League’s official site.
“I like to consider myself one with a developmental mindset. That doesn’t just apply to my job or the G League, but who I am as a person. That’s how I operate,” he said. “I don’t just love player potential, but human potential and seeing it to its fullest.”
“I love empowering and helping players build a vision with our staff, and then leveraging all the resources I can.”
If Not Fields, Allison Feaster?
While he believes the Celtics want Fields for the job, Fischer did note that the Hawks could keep him in Atlanta by offering him their own GM job. Team president Travis Schlenk currently holds the GM title in a dual role.
However, if that were to occur, the Celtics already have another strong GM candidate in-house. Namely, the team’s vice president of player development — and former WNBA veteran — Allison Feaster.
According to Fischer, she would become the leading candidate for the GM job in lieu of Fields.
“It seems like she’s getting some serious traction,” one assistant GM told Bleacher Report.
A Harvard grad, the 45-year-old Feaster has been with Boston since September 2019. Her playing career spanned a decade from 1998-2008, during which she played for the L.A. Sparks, Charlotte Sting and Indiana Fever.
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