The Celtics made a decision to help themselves more in the present than the future by including young prospect Aaron Nesmith in a trade package that landed Malcolm Brogdon in Boston last summer. Nesmith has blossomed well in Indiana over the past year, earning a three-year $33 million extension from Indiana last month. As the wing returned to Boston on Wednesday night for a matchup against his former team, he also revealed the fuel that has motivated him since the Celtics dealt him away after just two seasons.
Nesmith took to social media over the weekend, sharing a post from Bleacher Report that stated the Celtic didn’t give up many assets in their trade for Brogdon last summer. Before Wednesday’s game, Nesmith explained why that analysis is still on his mind more than a year later.
“As soon as the trade happened, I saw the tweet and I saved it immediately,” Nesmith said. “I’m someone who I do take things personally and that helps make me better. It’s what drives me to go to the gym at night, so the tweet was always on my mind for sure.”
Nesmith didn’t print out a copy of the tweet but has it on the ready whenever he needs it.
“I saved it in my favorites,” he admitted. “Sometimes if I’m having a good day or something, I open up the photos and it’s in there. Just makes me want to go to the gym.”
While it was just one opinion of the deal, the fact that the analysis came from a national outlet added to its significance in Nesmith’s eyes.
