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June 2 (UPI) -- The Boston Celtics front office will undergo a major facelift as coach Brad Stevens leaves his role to replace president of basketball operations Danny Ainge, who announced his retirement Wednesday. "It's an honor to be trusted with this responsibility," Stevens said in a news release.
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Ainge, 62, is the only man in the franchise's 74-year history to win championships as a player and a general manager. Stevens served as the head coach for the last eight seasons.
Ainge will stay on with the Celtics to transition through the off-season as the franchise searches for a new coach.
"Helping guide this organization has been the thrill of a lifetime, and having worked side-by-side with him since he's been here, I know we couldn't be in better hands than with Brad guiding the team going forward," Ainge said in a news release.
"I'm grateful to ownership, all of my Celtics colleagues, and the best fans in basketball for being part of the journey."
The Celtics went to the playoffs 15 times in 18 years under Ainge. They won a championship in 2008 and appeared in the Eastern Conference Finals seven times.
The Celtics are the winningest playoff team in the NBA since 2007-08.
Stevens, 44, left Butler University to become Celtics coach in 2013. He posted a 354-282 record and led the team to three Eastern Conference Finals appearances.
"I'm grateful to ownership and to Danny for trusting me with this opportunity," Stevens said. "I'm excited to tackle this new role, starting with a wide ranging and comprehensive search for our next head coach.
"I love the Celtics, and know the great honor and responsibility that comes with this job. I will give it everything I have to help us be in position to consistently compete for championships."
The Celtics went 36-36 in 2020-21, their first season without a winning record since 2014-15. They fell to the Brooklyn Nets 4-1 in the first round of their playoff series, which ended Tuesday in Brooklyn.
