Boston Celtics

Simmons predicts Paul George can give Boston about 55 regular-season games and 1,500–1,600 minutes.

“I do think they can get 55 games, 1600, 1500, somewhere in there minutes”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: NBA One Guy (the East!), a Man City Punishment Primer, and Tom Cruise’s Bomb With J. Kyle Mann, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan (Oct 6, 2026) · Listen from 19:58

Simmons projected the Celtics should still win at least 54 to 55 regular-season games.

“And I don't understand why they wouldn't at least be a 54 to 55 win team”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: Kawhi in Flux, Embiid’s Next Team, Jaylen vs. Advanced Numbers, and a Mini-Mailbag With Joe House (Jul 9, 2026) · Listen from 41:10

Simmons reports the Celtics made only a single offer for Giannis, involving Jaylen Brown and two picks, and never followed up.

“they made one offer two weeks ago and it was, you know, Jalen and two picks”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: 2026 NBA Draft Winners and Losers With Joe House and J. Kyle Mann (Jun 24, 2026) · Listen from 1:47:28

Simmons cited his earlier tweet asserting Hugo Gonzalez would never be included in a Celtics offer, which proved correct.

“I would be absolutely shocked if Hugo was, was, or is thrown into any honest trade offer”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: Giannis to Miami! An Urgent Gathering Pod With Chris Ryan and Justin Verrier (Jun 23, 2026) · Listen from 36:21

Lockwood says he still trusts Brad Stevens despite appearances that the Celtics botched the Brown trade.

“He might seem like he completely botched this entire situation, gave the Sixers, Jalen Brown, and LeBron for nothing, took on Paul George's bad contract, but I trust him”

Pardon My Take: Patrick Kane In Studio, LeBron James To Philadelphia, Who’s Back + Mt Rushmore Of Things You Eat With A Spoon (Jul 27, 2026) · Listen from 45:17

Lockwood predicts Brad Stevens has further moves planned after the trade.

“Brad Stevens has got more cooking. He's not done yet. And then you're going to have to take all that”

Pardon My Take: Emergency Jaylen Brown Trade Reaction + Timm Woods And The Return Of Dungeons And Dragons (Jul 2, 2026) · Listen from 25:56

Lockwood believes an irreparable rift existed between Jaylen Brown and Brad Stevens.

“I think something was going on with Jalen Brown and Brad Stevens. That was not going to get fixed, and they knew that”

Pardon My Take: Emergency Jaylen Brown Trade Reaction + Timm Woods And The Return Of Dungeons And Dragons (Jul 2, 2026) · Listen from 30:23

Hank Lockwood believes that if Jaylen Brown is not traded, he will return to the Celtics without hard feelings.

“But I think if... the trade is not best for the Celtics organization, Jalen Brown will come back and there will not be any, like, butthurt feelings”

Pardon My Take: NBA Draft, Giannis To The Heat, Wyndham Clark, USMNT Team Captain Tim Ream + Mt Rushmore Of Hard To Spell Words (Jun 24, 2026) · Listen from 18:01

Lowe questions why a Giannis deal is assumed to include Jaylen Brown rather than Jayson Tatum, who is coming off an Achilles injury.

“why is it just assumed that it's Jalen Brown and not Jason Tatum after the year Jalen Brown just had”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: New York Wins the Title, Brunson Wins Immortality, and Knicks Fans Have a Zihuatanejo Moment With Zach Lowe (Jun 14, 2026) · Listen from 1:23:43

Lowe picked Joe Mazzulla as the coach who most exceeded expectations and predicted he will win Coach of the Year despite dismissing the award.

“I'll go Joe Mizzoula just because he's the Celtics or the two seed. He's going to win coach of the year”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: The 2026 Made-Up NBA Awards With Zach Lowe (Apr 6, 2026) · Listen from 52:04

Lowe said he now believes only Denver and Boston can match the level of play shown in the Nuggets-Spurs game.

“rwy'n credu ein bod ni'n cyrraedd y pwynt mai'r unig dau tîm sy'n gallu eu pwysio yw Denver a Boston”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: The 2026 Made-Up NBA Awards With Zach Lowe (Apr 6, 2026) · Listen from 7:49

House said the Celtics should have prepared fans by admitting they might not be able to keep Brown.

“said out loud that Jalen, as much as we love him and we'd love to keep him, we're not sure that's going to be possible”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: Kawhi in Flux, Embiid’s Next Team, Jaylen vs. Advanced Numbers, and a Mini-Mailbag With Joe House (Jul 9, 2026) · Listen from 1:14:27

House believes the Jaylen Brown situation in Boston is fixable if the team unites.

“I think it's completely solvable. I don't know why. I think that if they all say the right thing”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: 2026 NBA Draft Winners and Losers With Joe House and J. Kyle Mann (Jun 24, 2026) · Listen from 1:48:19

Simmons's father blamed coaching for letting Tatum and Brown bring the ball up, which let Embiid rest on defense.

“if Tatum and Brown consistently are bringing the ball up so that Embiid can just stand there and be lazy and rested, that's a coaching decision”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: Harden’s Moment, an NFL Schedule Glut, Owning the Jazz, and a Boston Sports Check-In—With Bryan Curtis, Bill’s Dad, and Ryan Smith (May 15, 2026) · Listen from 1:17:55

Simmons's father said he would trade Jaylen Brown immediately for the right package.

“If the package was perfect for Jalen Brown, I would move him in a heartbeat”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: Harden’s Moment, an NFL Schedule Glut, Owning the Jazz, and a Boston Sports Check-In—With Bryan Curtis, Bill’s Dad, and Ryan Smith (May 15, 2026) · Listen from 1:13:09

Wright argues Boston added too much variance through three-point shooting despite being the favored team.

“Are the Celtics underselling their position in the Eastern Conference by adding so much variance to these playoff series?”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: NBA Lottery Karma Rankings, Jaylen’s Future, and a Blistering Wolves-Spurs Series With Nick Wright (May 6, 2026) · Listen from 16:58

Wright argues the Celtics were uniquely prepared to play without their best player yet still lost, and criticizes Mazzulla's playoff record outside the 2024 title run.

“Year two, crush everyone en route to a championship. And every other year, horrifying defeat as huge favorites”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: NBA Lottery Karma Rankings, Jaylen’s Future, and a Blistering Wolves-Spurs Series With Nick Wright (May 6, 2026) · Listen from 5:13

Mann argues Paul George is becoming an overqualified role player, which he considers acceptable for Boston.

“I think he's regressing a little bit into overqualified role player status a little bit”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: NBA One Guy (the East!), a Man City Punishment Primer, and Tom Cruise’s Bomb With J. Kyle Mann, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan (Oct 6, 2026) · Listen from 20:31

Katz believes the Celtics are resetting this season with a bigger move possible next year.

“I think the Celtics are basically saying this year we're resetting and then next year maybe”

Pardon My Take: Emergency Jaylen Brown Trade Reaction + Timm Woods And The Return Of Dungeons And Dragons (Jul 2, 2026) · Listen from 17:02

Verrier suggested Boston should trade Brown for young players and picks and bring Tatum back slowly.

“And just like bring Tatum back along slowly so you could be like really, really good in two years”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: Giannis to Miami! An Urgent Gathering Pod With Chris Ryan and Justin Verrier (Jun 23, 2026) · Listen from 15:09

Mahoney said he would still bet Boston's future on the Tatum-Brown core.

“I still would want to bet the future of my team on Tatum and Brown. Like that's still a core that I believe in”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: Joker’s Out, and Boston Might Be Next. Plus, an MLB Cocktail Party and 'Survivor 50' With Rob Mahoney, Billy Gil, and Jason Concepcion. (May 1, 2026) · Listen from 53:41

PFT Commenter argued Joe Mazzulla should be on the hot seat for failing to adjust when threes do not fall.

“at some point, you have to do something a little bit different, and he hasn't done it. So Missoula, hot seat”

Pardon My Take: Kentucky Derby With Randy Moss, IndyCar Racer Conor Daly, Celtics/Sixers Game 7 Set, Knicks Whomp The Hawks + Hockey Playoffs and Fyre Fest (May 1, 2026) · Listen from 14:24

Goldsberry said the loss reestablished Boston as the best team in the Eastern Conference and that they can win the East.

“this game really reestablished the Boston Celtics as the best team, at least in the Eastern Conference”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: NBA Hot Takes, OKC’s Red Flag, and Giannis vs. Father Time With Kirk Goldsberry and Joe House (Mar 26, 2026) · Listen from 13:13