Report: Why Jay Larranaga won’t re-join Celtics in assistant role originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Jay Larranaga seemed like a good candidate join the Boston Celtics’ coaching staff under interim head coach Joe Mazzulla. But it appears he’s staying put.
Larranaga will remain in his current position as the Los Angeles Clippers’ top assistant on head coach Tyronn Lue’s staff, Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix reported Wednesday night.
The Celtics recently received permission to speak with Larranaga, who spent nine seasons (2012 to 2021) as Brad Stevens’ top assistant in Boston and worked alongside Mazzulla for two seasons. But Larranaga “prefers to remain in Los Angeles,” according to Mannix.
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The Celtics’ search for an extra assistant may not stop with Larranaga, though. The Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach reported that the team has spoken to “several” other assistant coach candidates, while Mannix recently floated the possibility of recently-fired Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel joining Boston’s staff.
Stevens and the Celtics have voiced their full support for Mazzulla, who at 34 will be the NBA’s youngest head coach but is the longest-tenured coach on Boston’s staff. Still, the C’s lost a lot of coaching experience this offseason in Ime Udoka (one-year suspension for violating team guidelines) and Will Hardy (new head coach of the Utah Jazz) and could benefit from added experience under a first-time head coach.
Mazzulla seemed open to the idea of adding an assistant coach when asked Wednesday about the possibility of Larranaga joining the Celtics.
“It’s more about studying our environment and what we need to help our staff and considering, What do our players need? What are they familiar with and what are they looking for on our staff?” Mazzulla said.
Boston’s first preseason game is Sunday against the Charlotte Hornets, so if an addition is made, expect it to happen soon.
