Celtics Hire Drew Nicholas as Executive Director of Player Personnel

The Boston Celtics hired Drew Nicholas as their new executive director of player personnel, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported Monday.

Drew Nicholas Previously Served As Denver’s Director Of Scouting

Nicholas spent the 2024-25 season as a scout for the Brooklyn Nets and previously served as the Denver Nuggets‘ director of scouting from 2022 to 2024, earning an NBA championship with the organization in 2023.

The New York native spent the 2021-22 season with the Celtics as a college and pro scout and previously held scouting roles with the Philadelphia 76ers (2019 to 2021) and Minnesota Timberwolves (2016 to 2019).

Although Nicholas never played in the NBA, he had a successful playing career overseas, leading the EuroLeague in scoring in 2006 and winning a pair of EuroLeague titles with the Greek club Panathinaikos in 2009 and 2011.

Nicholas also helped Maryland win its only NCAA championship in 2002. In 31 games (all starts) of his senior season, he averaged career highs of 17.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.2 steals per contest.

Austin Ainge, Remy Cofield Left Boston

The Celtics’ hire of Nicholas comes after the offseason departures of assistant general manager Austin Ainge — who joined his father Danny Ainge on the Utah Jazz earlier this summer — and director of scouting Remy Cofield.

Austin Ainge had served as the assistant general manager for six seasons after being originally hired by his dad as Boston’s director of player personnel in 2011.

As the team’s director of player personnel, he worked closely with rookies while they were on assignment in the then-NBA Development League, now known as the NBA G League.

Meanwhile, Cofield left New England in March, as he was hired as the general manager of the University of Arkansas athletic department. He had been with the Celtics since 2020.

Celtics Traded Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis

The Celtics have made various changes to retool their roster this offseason, trading Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers for Anfernee Simons and dealing Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks.

In addition, while the C’s were unable to re-sign Luke Kornet, they did add Josh Minott in free agency. They expect Al Horford to depart via free agency or retirement as well.

Boston is also still searching for trade suitors for Simons after failing to land nine-time All-Star guard Damian Lillard, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.

“League sources say Boston continues to explore its trade options with newly acquired Anfernee Simons, who became a Celtic as part of the trade that sent Jrue Holiday to Portland,” Stein reported Sunday.

The Celtics made a contract offer to Lillard in free agency before the star point guard ended up signing a three-year, $42 million contract to return to the Portland Trail Blazers.

Simons is about to enter his eighth NBA season. The 26-year-old is in the final season of the four-year, $100 million contract he signed with the Trail Blazers in 2022, per Spotrac.