Nearly two weeks after the Celtics’ surprising announcement that president of basketball operations Danny Ainge would retire and be replaced by head coach Brad Stevens, the team remains in the middle stages of finding Stevens’s replacement, according to a league source.
The source said that the team has not yet whittled the list to a group of finalists, and that the search could go on for a few more weeks. The source added that the process could be slowed a bit because several candidates are still coaching in the NBA playoffs.
ESPN reported last week that Stevens has requested permission to speak with several assistant coaches, including Clippers assistant Chauncey Billups, Darvin Ham and Charles Lee of the Bucks, Ime Udoka of the Nets, and the Mavericks’ Jamahl Mosely. The Clippers, Bucks, and Nets are currently playing in the conference semifinals.
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Stevens has already met with his former Boston assistants.
The Celtics were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Nets, so they have some time before the July 29 draft, which will be followed by the Aug. 2 start of free agency.
Adam Himmelsbach can be reached at adam.himmelsbach@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @adamhimmelsbach.