Celtics Wyc Grousbeck: 'Collection Of Rip-Off Attempts' For No. 3 Pick
BOSTON (CBS) -- In the hours and minutes leading up to the third pick in Thursday night's NBA Draft, it sure seemed like the Celtics were going to pull off a big move.
There were rumors of a Jimmy Butler blockbuster with the Chicago Bulls. It even appeared the Celtics had a fallback trade with the 76ers that would have landed them Nerlens Noel and other assets.
In the end, none of that came to fruition and the Celtics drafted Cal forward Jaylen Brown with that third pick. While Brown is an athletic player who can attack the basket, averaging 14.6 points in his only season with the Golden Bears, he needs to make some big improvements with his jumpshot. That's one of the reasons the pick received a rather unenthusiastic reaction from Celtics fans at the team's draft party at the TD Garden.
Even C's owner Wyc Grousbeck was met with some boos when he addressed the crowd following the selection.
"It wasn't the best reception I've gotten in the Garden, but so be it. We don't do things based on ESPN commentators," Grousbeck told 98.5 The Sports Hub's Adam Jones and Rich Keefe at the Garden. "There were no trades we were close to doing. We did not sniff an offer. It was a collection of rip-off attempts, and we laughed at them.
"Nothing even gave us a second thought," he continued. "People weren't willing to trade their guys for our picks, and so be it."
Grousbeck said that he and C's president of basketball operations Danny Ainge were both impressed with Brown during his multiple pre-draft workouts with the team, and they intend on keeping Brown as a part of the future.
"Danny feels that Jaylen has a lot of upside, a man's man at that position already. In his workouts for us, he absolutely astounded everybody and we tried to keep him under wraps," said Grousbeck, praising Brown's "distinct motor" and energy.
And for the fans who aren't very happy with the team right now? Grousbeck is preaching some more patience.
"We're not done. What happens next week? We have room for two max guys. The thinking and trying to improve the team starts next week in free agency," he said. "We'll see if we can get anyone to come and we're going to work hard on that."
