Video: Courtney Lee says joining the Celtics was "a no-brainer"



Courtney Lee made his first public appearance as a Celtic at a Shamrock Foundation benefit soiree. WEEI's Ben Rohrbach posted the above interview with Lee, who reveals that he took less money to come to Boston but he wanted the chance to contend for a title and be part of a winning tradition.

From Rohrbach's YouTube page:

Here's all you need to know about Celtics sign-and-trade acquisition Courtney Lee before this NBA season begins: He took less money to play in Boston, and he doesn't care whether he starts or comes off the bench.

"I had a lot of different offers from a lot of different teams, but the one I really wanted to come to was Boston," Lee said Thursday from the Boston Children's Museum, where the Celtics held their Summer Soiree to benefit the Shamrock Foundation. "So, I spoke to my agent and I spoke to my family. It was a decision that I had to take less money to come here, but in that I'll be winning, I'll have a chance to play on TV. That's what everybody wants to do. They want to win big and a chance to win a ring, so it was a no-brainer for me."

Still, when asked if he preferred starting to backing up Bradley upon his return from surgery on both shoulders, Lee said all the right things while not giving up too much outside of the fact he and Celtics coach Doc Rivers have already discussed his role "in details" over dinner multiple times.

"I just want to win," said Lee. "I'm not the coach, so whatever Doc feels will help the team it's his decision, so I'm just going to go out there and just play. [Coming off the bench] is the same as starting a game. You've got a job and a role to go out there and fulfill, and you've just got to be a professional and handle that."