Flashcard Friday: Boston Celtics TRADES, Payton Pritchard DEFENSE, a SURPRISE return?

Flashcard Friday: Boston Celtics TRADES, Payton Pritchard DEFENSE, a SURPRISE return?

It’s a flashc card Friday. You have submitted random topics. We don’t know what’s going to be picked, but we’ll react to them right now on the Locked On Celtics podcast. [Music] Uh-huh. Yep. Be ready. It’s the season. Who else could it be? What they going to say now? Screaming like JT Cares. We kept the madness every game, every practice. Prime time. Deon D White on the sideline. I’m Rain and Jay. How we started raising business. How we finish. Locked on Celtic spot, home of the winners, baby. Hey there. Welcome back to the Lockdown Celtics podcast right here on the Lockdown Podcast Network. It is your team every day. Your team is the Boston Celtics and I talk about them Monday through Friday. Well, now three days a week starting next week for the month of August and early September and then midepptember. Boom. We’re back into the five day a week grind because then the season will be coming up. So, man, that’s happening quick. So, make sure you’re subscribed wherever you get your podcast. Watch the show on YouTube. Get into the comments section. Share your thoughts with me. I’m John Carales, beatw writer for Boston Sports Journal. Been covering the Celtics for about 20 years. I’ve written a couple of books about the team. Today’s show is brought to you by Game Time. Download the Game Time app, create an account, use the code locked NBA for $20 off your first purchase. Today is a flashc card Friday. You have submitted random topics. oneline topics. I’ve written them down on these flashcards. I shuffle them up and we cold. Don’t know what topic is coming. We have not prepared for this, but we are doing this off the top of our heads. This sort of like a freestyling a rap freestyle cipher. And I got to get my partner here, Tom Westerhome, noted freestyler, freestyle expert. That’s that’s you. Yeah. Uh here for flashcard Friday. How you feeling? Big Ryman guy. Big Ryman guy. Yeah. Yes. As as as just noted. Um so, all right. So, people have submitted these random topics. I have now all these flash cards. I’ve I’ve enjoyed these flashcard Fridays. It’s it’s quick thinking off the top of our heads. All right. We ready? Yeah. Some of these are serious. Some of these are goofy. We’re just gonna rip through them. And uh here we go. The first topic is how many trades does Brad make? So, we’ll I’ll just add this this this season. This season. Okay. How many I I’ll I’ll amend this. How many more trades does Brad make? Um I think this probably came in before a lot of these trades were made. So, we’re in Anthony Simons, George Nyang. Yep. Um, I’m gonna say by the end of the season, I’m gonna say it’s two I’m gonna say it’s two more trades. And I I I think it’s going to be because Simons and Yang are separate and I don’t think there’s another one coming before the end of the year. So, I’m I’m gonna say it’s just two more. I’m going to say three. Um, because I am going to Well, okay. Before the end of the year. before the end uh like so before the the end of trade deadline before the trade deadline. Okay, I’m now I’ll stick with three. Why not? I I think that I could see him like you know moving either one or both of Simons and Nyang and then you know some some little re a little reshuffleling move or two around the deadline just like somebody that isn’t like super working or somebody that just kind of pops available like I I’ll give myself the uh give myself the little breathing room there. So, I’m going to go three. Okay. So, three more. So, then he’s made two already. Yes. So, the total will be uh five for you and four for me. Okay. I think I think that’s fair. I think that’s fair. Yeah. Not not a huge gap in our opinions there. That’s right. That’s right. Never really is. All right. Next topic here. Ideal roster. Um, we got it, folks. It’s here right now. right now off the top of our heads. It’s This is one. This is the one. This is it. This is the ideal roster. I guess we want to get existential. Ideal roster for what? For what? Ideal roster for Soft Tank. Yeah. Um, so I think I think maybe the the question of the ideal roster for the Celtics getting back to championship contention, you you have to find yourself obviously a big um a rim protecting big. I don’t know who who you get. I don’t know how you get there, but your ideal roster, I think, continues to have Jaylen and Jason, continues to have Derek White, and somehow you find yourself um you find yourself a rim protecting big. Now, maybe that maybe that’s somebody like Charles Bassie, maybe that’s the guy that comes in and and hits. Uh maybe you trade Simons and or Nyang and get yourself a guy who’s decent enough. you just haven’t he just needs to be decent enough and then then you just need to get that shooting and and that’s where Shyman needs to step up and you know Hower and you you definitely need that shooting around you but if you want I I don’t know is you want to add anything to that? No, I think that the the the big thing here is that you need to like like Shyman is kind of important. Like you kind of need that is really important or a guy like that, right? Like a guy like, you know, whether whether maybe I don’t know, maybe you maybe you’re able to like get another draft pick with one with your extra, you know, and then with your extra trade that I that I gave the them permission to make there and then maybe you’re able to draft a shooter or something. But yeah, I mean getting some some relatively cheap shooting is is so important and it it’s it I think you know the thing about Hower, right, is that he has turned himself into something close to a passable defender. I I you know I think reasonable um reasonable people can disagree about exactly how effective he actually is, but like he is obviously like good. He’s obviously good enough to be on an NBA floor a considerable amount and like so you know like you also have the shooters also have to be willing to learn how to do that kind of stuff. So you got you got to find it’s a tough task, right? Like that this this is a big task ahead of Brad, but um but it’s not like it’s impossible. You can find a rim protecting big. You can find cheap shooting. You know, more and more guys can shoot around the league anyway. Um you know, maybe maybe your fifth trade answers this ideal roster and it’s Jaylen Brown for Nicole Joic. There’s your ideal roster. There you go. You got it. Derek White. Derek White, Jaylen, Jason Tatum, and Derek and Nicole Jokic. Yeah. Would be an ideal roster. That would be pretty ideal. No disrespect to Jaylen, but like Joic kind of like balances things out a little bit and you know Yeah. Yeah. Maybe for shooting you could um bet on Malik Beasley. Okay. On to the next uh card. I I’m going to get so much hell for trading Jaylen Brown away like that. Um, okay. Next up, C’s. Did the C’s last year look old against some teams? Did you think age? Did they look old last season against teams? I thought they looked a little tired at times. I I don’t know about old. Um I I think there’s I think there’s a distinction. Yeah. Um I I think that the the one game where I mean there was that one game against OKC where in the second half OKC just like ramped everything up and it was just like oh my goodness. Okay. You know that was again I old isn’t the right word necessarily, but like OKC did look different in that game. There was some there was like maybe maybe OKC just looked like really talented and really young, really energetic. Um, but I feel like that in that game the Celtics looked great. That was the game the Celtics look great in the first half, right? Yes. And then they let go at the end of the second half like send second quarter gave OKC some life into halftime and then OKC just blew the doors off him in the second half. I I don’t Yeah, not old. not all. But the this notion of maybe they were there was a little level of disinterest or they were just like, “Okay, we’re biting our time until the playoffs.” And it felt like all season long once they accomplished what they set out to accomplish, like, “Okay, first half we looked good against OKC.” Then it felt like in the second half they’re like, “Okay, no, we’ve done what we were supposed to do. we look good against OKC and we’re we’re good. We’re good. And they never they they had trouble adjusting um to that. And I I just don’t think they had the they I don’t think they had the fire. It just wasn’t it wasn’t the it wasn’t age like and I specifically like Holiday and Horford, but I don’t think it was age. I think it was I think there was just like a little spark missing, you know, and and then championship hangover type of thing. Yeah. So, yeah, I think that’s right. Um, all right. Next card, but but I will I will just quickly add this team is not as young as they used to be. Like that that is true. That’s true. There is not Yeah, this not not a bunch of kiddos anymore. I thought about this already. Like we’re Jason Tatum is 27. Yeah. So, he he’s going to turn 28. He’s not coming back till he’s 28. I mean, Jaylen’s going to be 29 and Derek’s in his He’s 30 31. Yeah, I think so. At least. Yeah, we’re we’re only a couple seasons away from all these guys being in their 30s. And that’s freaky to me because once a team’s core is all over 30, you start looking at them as an old team. Do you like how much time how much time does Derek White have before he’s you know on the downward slope, right? Cuz you know, you’re in his 30s. He’s decrepit like Al Horford. I know. We just two we killed Al Horford two podcasts ago. Now we’re going to start killing off everybody else. Now we’re killing off Derek White. Yeah. Now Now Derek White’s gone. He’s old and and dead. Uh, and before you know it, Jaylen’s going to be decrepit and Jason is only a matter of time. Um, Jordan Walsh is getting older and older. Every All right. Uh, card heading into the break. You get to think about this one for 90 seconds. Uh, least favorite beat members. Oh, yes. Yes. Yes. Least favorite members on the beat. Coming up next, today’s show is brought to you by Game Time. Go ahead and download that Game Time app because you want to get tickets to last minute events. Maybe you have some friends over and you say, “Hey, let’s go to the Red Sox game or whatever team, you know, maybe you’re not in Boston. 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Create the account. Redeem the code locked on NBA. L O C K D. Lockdown NBA for $20 off. Download the Game Time app today. Last minute tickets, lowest price guaranteed. Thank you for making Lockdown Celtics your first listen every day. Lockdown NBA has you covered the whole league. Two podcasts, Lockdown NBA, Lockdown NBA Game Night. Both podcasts cover the whole league. Uh game night’s going to cover like maybe some other stuff. Euro League, the Euro Basket, uh all that stuff is coming up. I know Giannis just committed to play, so we’ll be watching some of that, too. So, make sure you’ve got both uh you you’re subscribed to Locked On NBA, you get both podcasts on your feet. All right, Tom Westerhome, uh do you want to do the honors with Oh, sure. Uh listen, listen, Bro is so smart and he’s just so he knows so much about both the game and the salary cap and he’s he’s got such a good handle on things. And then he also dares to be a very nice guy as well. Who does he think? How dare he? How dare he? How dare he? How dare he? So yeah, just bleep Brian. Like a kind guy who’s good at all that stuff. Get him out of here. Uh the real answer is Jay King. And that’s not even a question. It’s like not even a question. Although I will say Suichi Tata, who submitted this question, submitted this is climbing up my list. Suichi submitted this and he is intentionally climbing up my list and agonizing me behind the scenes. He’s stirring the pot. That’s stirring the pot very much so. Um so Suigi climbing the ranks of least favorite uh beat members. Uh the real story is they’re all very nice people. They’re all very good at their jobs and I get to say this stuff because um this is what guys do when you like each other. You say I hate you and all of that stuff. So, um, it is a Celtics fans are very lucky. It is a very competitive, really smart, talented people on it. It’s, yeah, it’s a good beat. It’s a really good beat. Um, so, all right, next card. H, okay, this is a new one. Uh, Charles Bassie versus Kenny Loftton Jr., which the should the Celtics in not like one-on-one or in a fight or anything like that. If the Celtics were to get one of these guys, which one would you prefer? Charles Bassie, of course. Yeah. Yeah. You need a big And uh Yeah. Like and and I mean I don’t know. Like I I guess if if if Loftton Jr. was on the Celtics, maybe he wouldn’t feel the need to uh um take quite as many shots. So um maybe maybe getting a contract would chill him out a little bit. But the answer is obviously Bassie. I will give I give Loftton credit. Somebody got into his ear. Somebody said something to him. The f the first couple of games were bad. Yeah. Like bad. Like I was like, “Cut him now.” Bad. His last couple of games were much better. His his last game, the fourth one, cuz he didn’t play in the fifth one. I was like, “Okay, this is this is more along the lines of what he should be doing.” But yes, the answer is Bassie. And I I hope he gets a shot. I know he he left after a few games, so I don’t know. I was very curious when Brad Stevens was talking about him. you know, he’s he’s playing for what’s next, you know, like isn’t everybody in summer league kind of playing for what’s isn’t what you’re always playing for? But he kind of like made it seem like there won’t be a bassy in in training camp, but I still feel like he’s done enough to warrant uh an at least an invite. At least an invite. Because listen, I don’t care if there’s a big available and he wants to come to camp on one of those exhibit 10 contracts. Welcome to Boston. That’s all I got to say because breathe. He can tie his own shoes, right? Can you give him a jersey? Yeah. Yeah, that’s right. Let’s see what you can do. All right. Uh best assistant coaches now. Is that in in the on the Celtics or in the NBA? I was gonna do the Celtics. I was and I was and I was thinking back too like I mean because the I mean the the easy answer right like you know best assistant coaches of the last you know however many years Joe Mula right like Sure. Yeah. Yeah. You know like he was he was obviously a guy who um I was a fan of Jay Reenegga. Yeah. Yeah. I mean I very smart guy for sure. Um, I mean, you know, Tony Dobbins, right? Like I like Tony Dobbins. I like Tony Dobbins. I think he’s got a lot of good stuff. I think he’s really got Jaylen’s ear, obviously. And I mean, Jaylen, like, you know, I mean, you know, Jaylen has has talked him up to the moon, right? Just like like that. Tony, he’s always like, you know, Tony’s got some stuff like Yeah. Yeah. Um, I like Tony. Uh, and yeah, Tony Tony’s become like Jaylen’s guy. Yeah. Um, you know, Matt Reynolds is is a good dude. Um, and and really works hard and his story is great coming up from, you know, local kid, you know, fan of the Celtics. Now you’re coaching the Celtics and head coach of summer league. Uh, and Tony Dobbins was head coach of summer league last year. Yeah. Um, you know, the the thing with assistant coaches in the Celtics and obviously there’s Sam Cassell who, you know, has has done a lot of work with Tatum and, you know, the old school postup kind of stuff. Um, I think I think it’s a it’s, you know, a good group of assistant coaches. Um, I like that they’re empowered to kind of do more than like one thing. I I I think I think the way it’s set up and the way Joe has set it up is to make sure everybody’s voice is heard and they all have a say. And so I don’t think there’s any one guy that handles one thing that you can say, “Okay, he’s good at this. He’s good at that.” Although Matt Reynolds is the challenge guy. He’s Mr. Green Lantern. But uh yeah, I it’s hard for me to say best assistant coach on the Celtics. Um, I just liked talking to Tony, so I’m going Tony. Tonyy’s good. Yeah, I like that guy. We’ll go We’ll go there. Uh, let’s see. Let’s see if this is gonna be a quick one before we go to the break. Um, oh, we can anything a quick one. Jaylen Brown, Cooper Flag scenarios. Trading Jaylen Brown for Cooper Flag. Um, sailed. But, um, yeah, I think I think if you’re the Mavericks, you’re you got it. You can’t you can’t do that too fast. Jesus, man. Like, listen, I think Cooper Flag is going to be a mega star. Yeah. Uh, if like Nico Harrison, it’s it’s like suicide by, you know, angry mob. He would not be able to leave his house if he turns if he traded Luca and Cooper flag all with like no you could no way. No way. There’s I cannot envision a single scenario under which Cooper flag would be available in a trade where Jaylen Brown would go the other way. Just it’s not No, I’m sorry. I can’t. Well, and especially with, you know, especially with like the injury stuff that that’s that the Mavericks have going on right now, too. It’s like people are wondering like would he come home? Would he come home to New England? I I’m curious. This is like a separate thing, but I I wonder if there’s going to be a day where somebody like Cooper Flag in four years when he gets to be restricted free agent um does he just pull the I’ll take your qualifying offer. I’ll agree. Because the way restricted free agency works is um your team gets to Matt. they a team offers you the qualifying offer, which is a contract that’s I don’t know, whatever the number is. It’s a it it was always a number that would be rejected, but now the number is high enough where it’s like, huh, it’s a I don’t even know what it would be by the time he gets there. But what would happen is the player rejects it, becomes a restricted free agent, and then you can shop around and teams get to match your number. And we’re seeing with Jonathan Kaminga that nowadays in this, you know, second apron world, this is a I I think it’s going to be an incredibly difficult time to be a restricted free agent. Like this is this is bad. And no one’s really talked about that heading into this summer. The worst thing you could be, I think, right now in a collective bar this collective bargaining agreement might be a restricted free agent because you’re screwed. um if if you expect to make more than anything uh anything more than the the non- taxpayer mid-level. But anyway, I wonder if Cooper Flag will or somewhere in that range if we’re going to get to the guy who’s like, you know what, I accept your qualifying offer, which means you play one more season with that team and then you become an unrestricted free agent. And like that is where I’m I’m wondering if that’s gonna happen. But even unrestricted free agents, they don’t free agency is kind of like almost dead. Everything’s got to be sign and trade or uh yeah, that’s, you know, it’s a weird. I just don’t know if you want Cooper flag around all those like those, you know, troublemakers up in Maine that he was he want to bring that guy back home, I don’t think. Um, all right. Let’s uh heading into the break, we’ll talk about former active Celtics you wish could return. Jordan Crawford active currently active active former Celtics that you wish could return. That’s he’s in the big three. All right. Thanks for making Lockdown Celtics your first listen every day. Reminder, this is the last of our five day a week unless something big happens. Uh but we’ll be going down to three days a week. Um and uh that’s going to carry us through August and early September before we go back to 5 days a week. But there’s always the possibility of a bonus podcast in there somewhere. So you can uh make sure you’re subscribed wherever you get your podcast. All right. active players who are no longer with the Celtics that you wish could return. Um, I mean that’s for for what reason is Isaiah Thomas still technically active? Listen, if I can’t say Jordan Crawford, you cannot say Isaiah Thomas. He’s active. He’s with the Salt Lake City. Sure. Somebody G-League. Yeah. Uh, I mean, okay. Like, you know, you could say, um, yeah, the Celtics need a big, right? You could be like, all right, like, uh, Kelly Oen like that. I don’t know. He’s a a functional a functional big man who could Let’s just go sentimental. Let’s go sentimental. Okay. Robert Williams. Robert Williams. Oh, yeah. That’s the answer. I just wish Robert Williams could come back. And I’m not expecting him to do anything. I’m not expecting like he can tantalize us with Sure. Yeah. Three weeks of great play. Yeah. And then his knee will explode or something. But yeah, damn it. I want Robert Williams around the team. I just No, I I Yeah, that’s that is the answer. That’s the answer, right? Full stop. Okay, that’s the answer. Get Riff’s man out of retirement. Let’s Let’s get Oh, man. You know, this is this is where like so, not to get political, but I I you know, obviously I’m a I’m a left-leaning guy and I just sit there and I’m like wondering like when do people like we’re I’m supposed to be getting more conservative as I get older, right? That’s how it happens, right? You get older, you get more conservative and I’m like when is that supposed to happen for me? Because it’s not. And then now I’m like you start wishing for the way things used to be. Like I I want to go back to the day when Robert Williams was here and the riff’s man was on Twitter and we were like weird Celtics Twitter with this like dadaist like crazy like existent whatever like weird just weird Celtics. I just want that back was fun. People had fun. We had weird nicknames. People did weird photoshops and it was just a fun time to be on Twitter. the heyday, the golden era of being online watching the Celtics for sure. Yep. So, yeah, bring Robert Williams back. All right. Uh Payton Pritchard’s defense. We’ve I feel like we’ve talked about that before. We have a little bit. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, look, I think I I I’ve said this before. I I I I want if I’m going to look at a stat for uh Payton Pritchard, it’s his fouls per game. Um so I’ll repeat myself. His personal fouls this year, 1.5. I want to see like three. I want to see him double his personal fouls because that means I want him up into people’s airspace. I want him, you know, reaching. Go ahead, reach. Go ahead, steal. The Celtics, I think, this season need to be um actively trying to force turnovers. And so Peyton Pritchard’s defense has to be, you know, dogging everybody 90 ft. You got to be, you know, turning guys uh and and and maybe poking something green. If if that means an extra reaching foul or two per game, so be it. So be it. I don’t care about that. commit the fouls, just be more physical, take a couple more chances. When I think of Pton Pritchard’s defense, that’s what I want to see. Yeah. I think the the the thing that Pton Pritchard can do defensively is that he’s in like he’s in phenomenal shape, right? Yes. He can just he just goes and goes and goes and goes and goes and that’s that’s yeah, I think just dogging people. That’s what he needs to do. That’s that’s his that’s his strength. He doesn’t have the size. He’s he’s got plenty of strength. He is he is physically strong and difficult to push around, but he doesn’t have, you know, the height to deal with a lot of guys in the NBA. So, um, so utilize your strengths, right? Right. You know, be strong, be tough to get around and just be so in shape. Just be, you know, be be after people for like lengthy stretches. And I think that that’s how you can contribute. You ever go out walk your dog and you get those little bugs that are always in your eyes? There’s these little black bugs, little tiny tiny things, but they’re always around your eyes. They’re so damn annoying. I’m like, I I’m walking down the street spasming like get this. I look like a lunatic. That’s Payton Pritchard. That little bug that’s always in your face. And it’s like, ah, you’re so tiny but so annoying. That’s what I want Pritchard to be. Also, if you get a hold of him and you try to squeeze him, you can’t always squeeze him to death. And I feel like that’s another Pton Pritchard thing. Like you’re like, “I got you.” And you’re like, be like, “No.” Yeah. Yeah. All right. Let’s keep going. Let’s keep going. Um, an injury exception for Jason Tatum. Will the Celtics get an injury exception for Jason Tatum? Um, my answer is I don’t think it matters because they won’t use it. Right. Right. Right. Because they’re not going to spend They They might get it. I was going to say I I hadn’t thought of that. Yeah. Maybe they might Yeah, they might have the opportunity. they might have the opportunity to get a few million dollars which might get them may maybe it could get them a buyout guy depending on how the you know those but it’s it’s not going to it’s not going to be meaningful and so I I would expect them to apply for it. I haven’t heard anything about that. Uh I I honestly considering the spending issues Yeah. Yeah. Like unless that’s a guy that they’re like, “Oh crap, here’s a tool to get this other young person in and let’s give it a look. Maybe, excuse me, somebody gets cut and you say, “Oh, there’s a person we want to get.” But I I honestly I don’t think they they use an injury exception. Agreed. All right, let’s keep going. Come on. This is too This is too serious. I’m gonna I’m gonna This was CBA hurting well-managed teams. I’m going to put this back into the pile. Yeah. Okay. because it’s too it’s too hard. Too many. We were at minute 30. I want a good question though. It’s it’s a good question. Yeah. Um but I wanted that I want that to be meteor. Let’s let’s end on this one. We just did the Al Horford podcast. Assistant coach Al Horford. You know, it’s funny because it’s like on the on the Al Horford podcast, we said like, you know, oh, it’s you know, it’s so hard to retire. It’s so hard all this stuff. How many assistant coaches have six kids? Like to be an assistant coach, you got to be a little crazy because you got to be like watching film and doing all this stuff and you’re around that. I don’t know, man. I don’t I don’t think so. I I think if you’re out, you like you’ve made all this money. You made crazy money throughout your career. You and you just you have six kids, bro. like you I don’t Here’s I I’ll I’ll channel Evan Turner because Evan Turner was briefly an assistant coach with the Celtics. Um and after after that one like he’s done. Yeah. He he was like you make so little money compared to what you made playing to do so much more work. He’s like I was not with that at all. Um, and it’s true, which if I was going to take a guess at how Evan Turner assistant coaching was going to go, that’s it. I would expect Evan Turner to be like, “This was too much work for not enough money.” And I would expect him to say something funny about it on his way out the door. That was That was so predictable. Yeah, 100%. But it’s also true. It’s 100% true. Yeah. And like I can see Al being around the game somehow, but honestly I think I think Al is like a really good dad. And I don’t think he’s going to do something that takes in like That’s true for a different dad. Six kids might be an argument to become an assistant coach. Right. Right. Right. Right. Like look, I’ve made my money. I can pay a nanny. Whatever. Uh, but I think I think Al wants to kind of mold Ian into an NBA player and he so he may take like a special assistant kind of role. He may he may be like um maybe maybe the Celtics offer him some kind of front office thing like where you come in and you’re you kind of maybe train and like learn about building teams and stuff like that but and you still get to be around and you you kind of get that I can see Al being in an executive kind of role. Um, and like whenever maybe it’s not with the Celtics or whatever, but I can see Al kind of poking around being like, “Hey, I’m going to spend some time with this group and spend some time with that group and kind of see if anything still in the NBA interests me enough and fits into my life.” But I honestly I don’t think he wants to be away from his kids and I don’t think he wants to be away from Yeah. you know, like like I think turning Ian into a potential NBA player is a big deal. Yes. Carl Horford. And so I think his decision to go to Golden State is like that’s a factor in that which we’ve said on the podcast before and I think whatever he does next that will be a factor in that too. And I think he wants to be present and look when you have six kids I think you know his wife’s going to be like look we have put up with a lot. Okay. Now, now I get to be in charge. I get a nap. You handle you are watching the kids. Um, so yeah, I do not think Al Horford assistant coach and that’s that that’s actually I think it’s an compliment a compliment to assistant coaches. Yes, assistant coaches work way too damn hard. I’m tell they are a little bit crazy. Like you have 100%. You have to Yeah. I listen I love basketball. I’d love like I love being around the NBA in this role. I would never want to be a coach. I would never want to be an assistant. I would never want to be in that film room because it’s like listen. Yeah. It’s it’s just like I’m like I I I work hard but I’m not willing to do that crap anymore. Not at this age. It’s an age thing. I literally make one pitch to you though. You get to the end of your night, right? And you don’t have to write a story and do all you know what I mean? like you get to just like you watch basketball, you get I I don’t know. I mean, I I got I see the vision, but you also have to be like genuinely brilliant and like, you know, you have to have like all this I don’t know. You have to have this like this crazy work ethic. I I’m you know, it wouldn’t be for me, but I but I see the vision. I see the vision. I think you just called me stupid. Well, yeah. Well, I mean, you know, it’s almost over. I feel like I’m getting let go here anytime soon anyway. Yeah. So, like I guess when you go to most hated member of the beat, I think I know what the real answer is. I haven’t been on the beat in years. You’re talking about me. Oh. Oh. Oh, right, right, right. Yeah. All right. Well, bye, Tom. Appreciate you. I do appreciate Tom Westerhome. I appreciate you, the listener. Thank you for being here every day, Monday through Friday. Soon to be Monday, Wednesday, Friday. That’s the schedule. uh unless something big happens or I just get that itch to do another podcast. Uh but right now the plan is three days a week. So make sure you’re subscribed because you never know when a bonus podcast will drop. Uh it shows free. It’s available everywhere. It’s on YouTube. Make sure you’re watching it there. Make sure you’re in the comments section sharing your thoughts with all of these topics. I’d love to hear your take on all of these topics. So do that in the comment section and then share the podcast. Tell everybody they should be listening to and watching the Lockdown Selics podcast. Here on the Lockdown Podcast Network, it’s your team every day.

Boston Celtics shake up roster plans. Will Brad Stevens make two more trades this season?

In a new “Flashcard Friday” episode, John Karalis and guest Tom Westerholm dissect potential Celtics moves, from reshuffling at the trade deadline to the ideal roster composition. They analyze the team’s performance last season, debating whether age or mindset affected their play. Payton Pritchard’s defensive growth takes center stage, with a surprising stat to watch. The duo also speculates on Al Horford’s future role – could he transition to coaching?

Tune in for insider perspectives on the Celtics’ path forward, including Jayson Tatum’s development and the hunt for a rim-protecting big man.

1:30 Intro: Flashcard Friday on Locked On Celtics
3:45 How many trades will Brad Stevens make?
6:52 Ideal roster for Celtics championship contention
9:44 Did Celtics look old against some teams?
13:21 Least favorite members on the Celtics beat
16:32 Charles Bassey vs Kenny Lofton Jr debate
19:14 Cooper Flagg trade scenarios discussion
22:52 Former Celtics players they wish could return
25:34 Payton Pritchard’s defense needs improvement
28:29 Injury exception for Jayson Tatum unlikely
29:46 Al Horford as potential assistant coach

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Locked On Celtics is a daily Boston Celtics podcast by Boston Sports Journal beat writer John Karalis. It’s an inside look at the C’s from a former professional basketball player who is at practices & games.

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