Celtics Owner Roasts Steve Kerr Over Jayson Tatum Benching

Celtics fans scratched their heads after Thursday when Jayson Tatum did not feature in Team USA’s semifinal win over Serbia, and you can add Boston ownership to the long line of people wondering what is going in at the Paris Olympics.

Stephen Curry and LeBron James led the United States rally in the fourth quarter to advance to the gold medal game against France. Team USA can win its 17th Olympic gold medal with a win Saturday, and it hasn’t needed much of Tatum in this year’s tournament.

Head coach Steve Kerr used a similar strategy to his side’s opening group game where Tatum also did not play against Serbia. The Celtics star topped a tournament-high 23 minutes against Puerto Rico, but Thursday’s DNP irked Celtics fans since Nikola Jokic almost led Serbia to a big upset.

Tatum’s mother wondered what was going on with her son, but Kerr explained it was a “math problem” when it came to managing his 12-man roster. Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck didn’t seem to buy into Kerr’s explanations.

“I mean, I wouldn’t play Steve Kerr, let me put it that way,” Grousbeck said on the “Greg Hill Show” on Friday, per WEEI. “What’s going on? It’s a mystery. It’s a complete mystery. I think Jayson doesn’t deserve anything but praise, kudos and playing time. He and Jaylen (Brown) led us to this unbelievable championship, and they’re not apparently helping out the Olympic team. They’re not able to be helpful in the Olympic team and just leave it at that. It’s mystifying.”

It’s not a surprise Grousbeck defended Tatum and Brown for their perceived treatment of Team USA. But it’s another feather in the cap for Boston fans that shows why the owner and governor of the Celtics is so beloved and why his family’s decision to sell the team was such a shock.

There’s still a chance for Tatum to feature in the gold medal game against France, and Green Teamers will have a keen eye on the All-NBA star’s minutes during Saturday’s matchup.