Robb: Celtics Searching For Bench Help After Losing Assistant Darren Erman to New Orleans
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Celtics can add one more need to their shopping list this offseason: talented assistant coach.
Brad Stevens' coaching staff will have an opening for the second straight summer. The Celtics confirmed reports that assistant coach Darren Erman would be heading to the New Orleans Pelicans to join Alvin Gentry's staff as an associate head coach.
Stevens brought aboard Erman last summer after top C's assistant Ron Adams elected to join Steve Kerr's staff in Golden State. Erman excelled in his second stint with Boston, the first coming as a vital player development assistant from 2007-11 in the height of the Big Three era.
Erman's strong initial work in Boston under Doc Rivers earned him a job as a top defensive lieutenant with the Warriors in 2011. However, he was unceremoniously fired from that position last spring in the middle of the season by head coach Mark Jackson. Later, it was revealed by multiple reports that Erman had been secretly recording conversations with Jackson, a move that led to his dismissal.
A transgression like that may have prevented an assistant coach around the league from getting another job, but the Celtics did not hesitate to bring him back last summer. Jackson clearly had trust issues with his assistant, as evidenced by his demotion of another assistant with C's ties, Brian Scalabrine, to the D-League last season. The fact that the Warriors cut ties with Jackson last summer after a successful season makes Erman's situation look a bit better from an outside perspective.
Despite Erman's mistake, much of the NBA world still thinks highly of his coaching abilities, as evidenced by a quick coaching promotion in New Orleans. Stevens raved about Erman's job earlier this week as rumors swirled about the potential departure.
"I think it's been pretty well documented [that] he did a great job," Stevens told reporters in Waltham on Tuesday. "He's very well-respected. He has a lot of great ability as a coach and, certainly, he's a guy that I'm very fond of and hope the best for."
With the defensive mastermind gone, it's now up to Stevens to find a capable replacement for his staff yet again. Will he find another career pro assistant, like Erman or Adams, who brings plenty of experience to the table? Could he turn to a sharp mind from the college ranks? Stevens has not shed light on any possibility just yet.
"I've done it pretty much every summer I've been a coach," said Stevens on finding a new addition. "If you've got a good staff, you're going to lose them at times. And that's great. It's great for the opportunity for upward mobility for your staff and for your environment. I think that's a positive feel when guys get a chance to move on, grow, and do other things. I think that's all good. I'll take my time in figuring out what's next. I'm in no rush, certainly."
Whoever Stevens elects to bring in will have a pair of tough acts to follow. While it may not get as much as publicity as adding a free agent, another strong assistant hire could be an integral addition to the Celtics rebuild.
Brian Robb covers the Celtics for CBS Boston and contributes to NBA.com, among other media outlets. You can follow him on Twitter @CelticsHub.
