Celtics really wanted Winslow, offered multiple picks to move up in draft

Now two days after the draft, there's been plenty of people that have titled Justise Winslow as the 2015 NBA Draft steal.

He has been said to have the athleticism of Jimmy Butler, the defense of Kawhi Leanonard and the potential to become a better version of James Harden.  We don't know how good he will be, but the fact that he fell into Pat Riley's lap even had Bill Simmons, a guy who loathes the Miami Heat tweeting this after the Draft.

I take back everything I said about trying for the 8th playoff spot over getting a top-10 pick. Winslow is a stud. Miami does it again.

— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) June 26, 2015

Which brings me to what Simmon's Boston Celtics offered just for the chance to draft Winslow. According to ESPN, the Celtics tried to trade themselves into picks #4-9, desperately wanting to draft him.

As Winslow surprisingly started to slip, the Celtics final offer to the Charlotte Hornets at #9 was a package featuring SIX draft picks, including four potential first-round selections. The Hornets rejected the offer because they were set to pick Frank Kaminsky out of Wisconsin.

After the draft, Celtics President Danny Ainge spoke of his teams pursuit, saying "Maybe we were going too hard at it. There was a time when I thought, ‘Woah, this is getting a little out of control.’ We’re putting a lot of eggs in one young player’s basket. So I’m not frustrated. In the long run, maybe it’ll be the best."

Six draft picks IS the reason why Winslow is such a steal. Not only is he perfect for Miami today but he is the future for Miami tomorrow. While he certainly needs to work on his mid range game, there was no reason for him to fall the way he did.

Mock Drafts everywhere had him going anywhere from #4-7. New York Knicks fans were expecting Phil Jackson to draft Winslow..until he didn't. I for one thought Detroit would pick him at #8 because he has done more in college than Stanley Johnson...until they didn't either. How shocking was it for Miami to draft him? Turns out the first time he talked to Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra was minutes AFTER the Draft.

One year after Charlotte helps Miami land Shabazz Napier, Michael Jordan helps Miami again by helping them draft Justise Winslow. Now I see why Jordan's jersey is hanging in the arena.