Josh Jackson: It's 'too late' to work out for Celtics

Soon-to-be NBA lottery pick Josh Jackson said Wednesday it’s become “too late” to work out for the Boston Celtics, who own the No. 3 pick in Thursday’s draft after trading the top pick to the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday.

Jackson, a former Kansas standout who has appeared on various mock draft boards as a top-three pick, initially didn’t work out for Boston because it was widely expected that they’d select Markelle Fultz at No. 1 before the trade. Boston was looking to work out Jackson on Tuesday, following Monday’s trade, but it never came to fruition.

“They did a little bit of moving around with their pick,” Jackson told ESPN. “I felt like they made it pretty clear who they were going to draft with the No. 1 pick, so I didn’t really feel like it was worth either of our times for me to work out with them. But then when they, you know, did the flip and went to No. 3, by then it was too late.”

After trading the pick Monday, Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge told reporters “there’s a really good chance the player we’ll take at 3 is the same player we would have taken at 1.” Duke’s Jayson Tatum worked out with the Celtics on Monday.

Jackson, who worked out twice for the Los Angeles Lakers — who have the No. 2 pick — said he thought missing a workout in Boston “may or may not” affect his draft status.

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