Celtics owner glad team didn't trade pick at deadline, will 'probably' keep it
Everything's coming up roses in Beantown, as the Boston Celtics are not only four victories away from advancing to the NBA Finals, but are now also in possession of the No. 1 pick in the 2017 draft.
Celtics co-owner Wyc Grousbeck was smiling ear to ear on Tuesday as the team's representative at the festivities.
"We got a lot offers in February (before the trade deadline) and I'm glad we didn't trade the pick," Grousbeck said, according to the Boston Globe's Rachel Bowers. "You can write that."
Boston was in possession of the Brooklyn Nets' pick as a result of a swap stemming from the 2013 trade that sent Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to Brooklyn.
Related: Pierce has a laugh over helping Celtics land No. 1 overall pick
The pick that's now going first overall was a huge bargaining chip ahead of the deadline, with the Celtics being linked to the likes of All-Stars Jimmy Butler and Paul George, although nothing came to fruition.
Barring a trade this summer, Grousbeck and the Celtics organization have a plethora of options of who they could potentially take, including UCLA's Lonzo Ball, Washington's Markelle Fultz, and Kansas' Josh Jackson.
"We've got plenty of time to decide what to do, but I would imagine we would probably make the pick," Grousbeck added, according to ESPN's Chris Forsberg. "In today's NBA, picks are very valuable. You have a young person that you can really help mold and grow with. Bring him in before the max salaries kick in. It makes a lot of sense to keep these picks."
The Celtics secured the No. 1 overall seed during the regular season with a 52-29 record. They open the Eastern Conference finals on Wednesday at TD Garden against the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers.
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