Departing Celtics consultant could've had a very different NBA Finals role

Although he spent only one season with the Celtics, Jeff Van Gundy will be a big loss for president of basketball operations Brad Stevens.

Looking back to last summer, however, Van Gundy could've easily never made it to Beantown, but ironically, he could've still been very much involved in the 2024 NBA Finals.

The 62-year-old was among roughly 20 on-air personalities let go by ESPN at the end of June 2023 in a reported effort to save "tens of millions of dollars." Van Gundy was with the network since his coaching career with the Houston Rockets concluded after the 2006-07 campaign.

He worked alongside Mark Jackson and Mike Breen as a part of ABC and ESPN's television coverage of the NBA Finals, plus numerous regular-season and postseason games.

Even more remarkably, following his firing, Van Gundy was pursued by the Celtics' 2024 NBA Finals opponent, the Dallas Mavericks.

The former longtime New York Knicks head coach turned away the Mavericks after an interview, however, and it ultimately led to the gig in Boston and his first title win.