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Can Nikola Vucevic and Jaylen Brown ELEVATE the Celtics? | Mailbag Questions Answered



Can Nikola Vucevic and Jaylen Brown ELEVATE the Celtics? | Mailbag Questions Answered

In this new mailbag episode, Nikola Vučević’s arrival sparks questions about his fit with Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, while Brad Stevens eyes a new ball handler to shore up guard depth. John Karalis explores how these moves could impact the Celtics’ championship ceiling and why the team’s front office remains the envy of the NBA.

Mailbag rapid fire covers expansion draft scenarios, Locked On Celtics’ unmatched entertainment value, and revealing insights into the evolving NBA landscape. From free agency targets and the salary cap situation to the league’s increasing excitement and viewership, John Karalis breaks down what Celtics fans need to watch this summer.

00:00 Mailbag & Celtics Storylines
02:31 Vooch’s Role & Jaylen Brown Impact
06:06 Celtics’ Roster Spots & Buyout Market
15:01 Entertainment Value & Team Identity
18:03 Free Agency Tools & Offseason Trade Options
24:47 NBA Trends, Expansion Draft, & Personal Reflections

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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.

#BostonCeltics #Celtics #NBA #JaysonTatum #JaylenBrown

16 Comments

  1. Don't have kids, but I call my dad almost every day and talk celtics almost every time, and it's based on the things you go over and say on the podcast.

  2. Genrally speaking, a previous championship team with a hangover like the Celtics were last year do not win 61 games.

  3. we have other ballhandlers in baylor and ron. we dont really need more. not even counting shulga. most likely they close games with pp, d.white, jt, jb and 1 of vuc or neemi. thats enough ballhandlers. I'd rather just reward ron and max or tonje with the last 2 spots. we are already 10-11 man deep (if you count garza). whoever we get isnt playing along with amari. best to just pick up rookies/young guys who we can develop in maine while we stay under the luxury tax and continue to propel that pipeline of young talent coming from maine. the rotation is FULL. here's how i'd structure the rotation:

    starters: d.white, jb, walsh, JT, Vuc

    bench: pp, baylor, sam, Neemi

    Hugo and Garza as the 10th and 11th men. I like Vuc with walsh and d.white. those 2 cover Vuc's defensive deficiencies.

  4. As a long time listener I really enjoy the bits where John answers these meta questions, it's really cool to have a glimpse on what it takes to cover a team daily, being on the beat and working in public

  5. Ib operates better in traffic? He gets stripped A LOT. Maybe we are watching different games. Maybe I notice it more cause it drives me crazy when he drives on more than 1 person. 😂

  6. not many free agents upcoming offszn besides kessler but hes restricted.
    kessler fits that 20m+ range and they can duck tax again by adding him which i feel like they might do.

    I think they are setting up for that 2027 free agency with guys like donovan,curry,jokic, etc.

  7. Of course he can. Although I don’t agree with it fully you could tell he lost some interest in basketball being stuck in Chicago.

    Coming to a new place, new expectations, and an organization that wants to win is something new to him.

  8. Great episode John, I think it’s safe to say you have a positive impact on all the long time listeners ☘️

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