Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla isn’t going anywhere, and he made that crystal clear when asked about reports linking him to the New York Knicks this past offseason.
On Monday, there were “whispers” suggesting the Knicks had interest in pursuing Mazzulla following their playoff run, NBA insider Marc Stein reported.
While the speculation briefly caught fire, the 36-year-old put the story to rest once and for all ahead of Boston’s season opener.
“That never reached me. There is only one team that I want to coach: it’s the Boston Celtics,” Mazzulla said on 98.5 The Sports Hub. “I’m going to be here for however long ownership and the city will have me. There is no other team that I’m coaching, it’s here or I’m going to coach my kid’s soccer team or something like that.”
Mazzulla’s comments leave no doubt about his commitment to the Celtics, and Boston’s front office clearly feels the same way.
The organization locked him in with a multi-year extension back in August, reaffirming their confidence in the young coach who led the team to back-to-back deep playoff runs.
“Boston showed its fans and Mazzulla how much they want to keep the coach with the Celtics after Mazzulla was signed to a multi-year contract extension in August,” Stein said.
Mazzulla’s focus now turns to the task at hand: guiding Boston back to the NBA Finals after falling short in the Eastern Conference semifinals last season, ironically, against the same Knicks team he was rumored to join.
The Celtics and Knicks will meet again Friday in what’s shaping up to be an early-season statement game between two of the East’s top contenders.
But, if there was any question about where Mazzulla’s loyalty lies, he answered it loud and clear.
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