Celtics’ Stevens named NBA executive of the year

Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens was named the NBA’s Executive of the Year Tuesday afternoon.

Stevens received 16 of the 30 first place votes, and was on 25 of the 30 ballots, winning in a runaway after making trades for Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday last offseason that helped Boston win a league-leading 64 games this season to claim the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Oklahoma City executive vice president and general manager Sam Presti finished second and Minnesota Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly finished third, with each of them garnering four first-place votes. Presti was on 17 ballots, while Connelly was on nine.

New York Knicks president of basketball operations Leon Rose finished fourth, landing on 11 ballots overall and picking up a single first-place vote. Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison, Houston Rockets general manager Rafael Stone and Sacramento Kings general manager Monte McNair also received first place votes.

Unlike most of the league’s season-ending awards, the executive of the year award is voted on by the league’s 30 executives themselves, with no one being allowed to vote for themselves.

This was the fifth award to be handed out, following Most Improved Player (Philadelphia 76ers guard] Tyrese Maxey), Sixth Man (Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid), Clutch Player (Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry) and Coach of the Year (Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daignault).

The NBA will unveil the winner of the Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year award Wednesday, and the Hustle Award Thursday, as well as eventually announcing its other individual award winners — Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year — later in the playoffs, along with the selections to the All-NBA, All-Defensive and All-Rookie teams.