The season finale for the Boston Celtics allowed fans to get a look at some of the team’s bench guys. Team owner Wyc Grousbeck made an interesting admission about one player the team had recently acquired.
Grousbeck went on the broadcast Sunday during the Celtics’ final regular season game against the Washington Wizards at TD Garden.
One of the things he talked about while on air was the team’s recent trade acquisition Jaden Springer, who the Celtics had acquired from the Philadelphia 76ers before the 2024 NBA trade deadline.
Boston Celtics Owner Admits Checking Philadelphia 76ers’ Message Boards After Trade
The Celtics bought low on Springer before the deadline. The Sixers gave him up for just a 2024 second-round pick after selecting Springer in the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft.
Springer got some extended run in the season finale against the Wizards. For the second straight game, Springer played 20 minutes of action and made the most of his time with a handful of defensive stops and hustle plays.
With the spotlight on Springer, Grousbeck was able to share an interesting anecdote. The 62-year-old owner revealed that he went online and checked the 76ers’ fan forums to gauge the reaction to their team losing Springer (H/T NBA Reddit).
“What I did when we traded for him, I looked at the Philly message boards and the fans were really quite upset. Hundreds of comments. They didn’t want to see him go,” said Grousbeck.
Boston Celtics Guard Jaden Springer Has Untapped Potential
Springer’s stats during Sunday’s game don’t jump out at anyone. He finished with just seven points and two rebounds on 2/4 shooting in the 132-122 win over the Wizards.
But his defensive potential is clear to anyone with a keen eye for talent. Springer tallied three steals against Washington — his third straight game with multiple steals. He’s tallied eight steals over his last three games.
Given that all he cost was a second-rounder, Springer himself could turn into a steal down the road for the Celtics. Grousbeck may very well check those 76ers message boards again if that happens.
