6 takeaways from Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck’s appearance on 98.5

On Wednesday afternoon, Boston Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck made an appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub to discuss his team’s recent fights.

Here is what we learned.

Grousbeck is happy with Brad Stevens and Danny Ainge

One of the most popular talking points around the Celtics right now is whether the 15-16 team’s departure warrants Stevens’ work (as well as Ainge’s, to a lesser extent).

Grousbeck brushed off those questions, expressing his confidence in Stevens and Ainge. He said he appreciated that Ainge made good draft picks from both Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, neither of whom were slated to be in the top three, and he was impressed with the player development. of Boston under Stevens.

“Right now, either of these guys would be the best candidate in the league for the job,” Grousbeck said. “It doesn’t matter who else is there. So these are our guys and we stay with them. And it wasn’t even a question in my mind.

The Celtics have no plans to let their top players go.

It won’t be surprising, but the Celtics are very committed to Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.

“I think we have a roster that isn’t a rival roster right now, but it has the makings of something good, I hope,” said Grousbeck. “Starting at the top of the list with the best players, they’re the goalies and we’re going to keep them.”

Grousbeck added that he was pleased with Robert Williams’ development and that Aaron Nesmith and Payton Pritchard “are developing before our eyes”.

However, a young formation is not always easy for a trainer.

“As Doc Rivers found out when you coach a young team, it’s a pain in your neck half the time, and you have gray hair, and you have to hope you get better,” said Grousbeck.

Don’t bother dreaming about Cade Cunningham or Jonathan Kuminga in the draft.

A seed germinating in the minds of some Celtics fans: If Boston continues to lose, could the team accidentally (or maybe not so accidentally) find themselves within range of help via the draft? Class of 2021 is teeming with intriguing talent, including a few players considered franchise changers, and even the mid-to-late lottery could offer potential stars. Oklahoma State star Cade Cunningham or G-League forward Ignite Jonathan Kuminga could be viable options.

Grousbeck scoffed slightly at the idea that the Celtics might ‘tank’ when one of the hosts said he started getting calls and emails from fans.

“We’re not trying to do that. It’s not us, ”Grousbeck said.

He joked that the Celtics were losing games they were trying to win and that a tanking season could have seen him enjoy the games this weekend.

“But anyway, we haven’t discussed it and it’s not part of the DNA and I’d love to win the next 15 games in a row and tell everyone to save the emails and save the emails. calls, ”Grousbeck said.

The Celtics could wait to use their TPE until the summer.

Celtics fans may want to cling to news they won’t like: Boston may not use its $ 28.5 million trade exception by the deadline. At the very least, they might not be using all of that since Tristan Thompson signed the mid-level non-taxpayer exception that capped them this offseason.

“Maybe we can use some of it under the fixed cap at the trade deadline,” Grousbeck said. “And if it’s available to us when we want to do it, we’ll do it if the right deal is there, but if not, it’s something we’ll probably be looking more towards in the offseason.”

Grousbeck said the Celtics are not a rival roster as it stands. If so, they might want to wait and see if they can make a different acquisition this offseason.

Of course, other teams will know the Celtics are in a use-or-lose situation this offseason if they don’t use it now, so Grousbeck could try to downplay Boston’s interest in making a trade.

Something strange may have happened with the Indiana accord this summer.

Over the summer, the Celtics reportedly had an offer to sign and trade Gordon Hayward to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Myles Turner and Doug McDermott. According to reports at the time, the Celtics preferred Victor Oladipo or TJ Warren. Eventually, of course, Hayward signed a four-year contract with the Charlotte Hornets.

What happened in the middle is murky. The prevailing narrative is that Ainge became greedy and lost potential for Hayward, but Grousbeck suggested that the narrative does not tell the whole story.

“There is always more to a deal, or often more to a deal than getting out in whatever leaked agents they want to be portrayed,” Grousbeck said. “But speaking of a particular deal, what they want to get in terms of players or draft picks is usually extreme and insane. If we don’t do the trick, it’s usually because of who they want to come back or what they want to take from us – four unprotected draft picks or whatever.

“It’s not what Indiana was, but it wasn’t a deal going on.

Hope that clears it up.

It is still unclear when fans will be allowed to return to TD Garden.

Grousbeck would not disclose how talks have unfolded regarding fans returning to TD Garden.

“There has been a lot of talk going on, and it feels like people around the table want that to happen,” said Grousbeck. “But I have nothing more to say at the moment.”