LIVE Garden Report: Celtics Training Camp Preview with Kayla Burton

LIVE Garden Report: Celtics Training Camp Preview with Kayla Burton

Hard hat’s all about showing up to play hard, doing what it takes to win. If you want to cement legacy, win another. He’s your third center. You don’t want to pump him up too much, but it’s hard not to. This is maybe the most I’ve ever agreed with you. Hey, Bobby Manning here. Welcome to a Tuesday edition of the Garden Report. just six days from Celtics training camp and wanted to preview it with Kayla Burton who’s here from NBC Sports Boston. You know her if you watch the Celtics, former CNSer as well. I love that. Yes. And uh it’s been a minute since we’ve had you on. I think Nick’s series we were talking is there was still some hope of a comeback back then and then Tatum tears his Achilles. They lose everybody on the roster for the most part. And here we are wondering what’s next. And we didn’t have a ton to talk about today before this afternoon. Jason Tatum went on a press tour and didn’t back off the idea that he could play this year really at all. Um said he’s going to be careful and not rush in any way, but said I’m not working out six days a week for no reason. in a couple different interviews today. So, I don’t know how to read this other than he’s pushing to play this season. He if he can, he’s planning on coming back. Yeah. First of all, cheers and hats off to all the people here getting ready for the season. We’re right around the corner. I’m so excited for the Celtics media day on Monday. Just to see new faces, familiar faces, old faces, and um you know, Bobby, you get right into it with Jason Tatum. I to be honest I’m not that surprised by it by him saying what he said by saying quote I haven’t said I’m not playing this season I loved hearing him say this this is what I needed to hear for all the JT lovers out there the most important thing is full recovery not rushing at all can we just start there because my biggest concern with a guy like Tatum who’s so that he never sat out right he Brad Stevens almost had to push him to have a rest day all of his career or let alone last year. And so you you get a little nervous. It’s a weird feeling because you get a little nervous with an Achilles tear or any injury for that matter and you know think okay how soon is he going to get back? Is he going to be like Tyrese Hallebert and and you know you’re not expecting to see him throughout the year or is he going to rush it? Like where is he at mentally with this process? And you know I’ve been going to these Patriots practices and and some games and you see him without the boot. I remember taking that video and it was like Jason Tatums without the boot and everyone’s excited. We’re ready for that. Every single day it’s going to be how’s he walking? He’s on the weight room. But to your point um you know it didn’t really surprise me that he said um you know I’m not rehabbing six days for nothing. He’s been here in Boston rehabbing his guys. Uh Nick Sang his trainer you know has been working with him relentlessly through this process. So, not surprised where he’s at mentally, emotionally with the get back and the comeback. I just pray he means what he says when it comes to not rushing it back. But they Bobby, I mean, he’s JT. He’s He’s a dog. So, I’m excit I look forward to seeing him back at the right time, whatever that looks like. Yeah. And when is that? He got asked on the NBC interview and said, you know, he has a goal in mind that he wasn’t going to share in terms of the timeline for a recovery. His dad told ESPN 8 to n months when the surgery went down. So that would be January, Februaryish. But I think we’ve all more been of the mindset of like, all right, it’s probably going to be springtime, like closer to a year, you know, when he recovers from it fully. So March, April, like that’s what I’m thinking right there. We won’t know until he gets into the further stages here. and he’s already four months out, which is crazy to think about, if I’m doing that math correctly, since May. So, he’s progressed quite a bit at this point. In the People magazine interview, his doctor raved about um his progress and said he’s really never even seen, you know, recovery quite like this from um from a player coming back from an Achilles tear. So, uh he said specifically, I don’t think I’ve seen a person’s calf look as strong as his. At eight, six or eight weeks, he was doing double heel rises. is he worked his calf so hard that the side effect of loss of strength, I don’t think he’s going to have any. So, it’s all been positive so far. Now, he actually has to get back on the court. There’s a bunch of steps in front of him here. He’s not close yet. Um, but this being his mindset, this was, you know, when I talked to Noah and we were getting into some of our storylines last week, what we’re looking for going into media day, this was the most obvious and biggest one to me is where’s his mindset going to be at in terms of a return this year? because the Celtics haven’t shot down the idea of him playing when they’ve been asked and this is clearly where he’s at and we got a few days earlier than I expected here. So, I’m not surprised either because this is how he is. This is how he’s always been. He’s only missed 30 something games in his career and now even at the earliest end of the timeline I’m talking about there, he’s going to miss half this season, like 37 or so. So, who knows? I thought before this that we probably wouldn’t see him this year. I’ll give Corales credit. He came on this show and was like, “We’re gonna see him this year.” So, why do you why do you think Corales said that? Because I I agreed with Carales. What was his reasoning? I don’t I didn’t hear him say that. So, I want to know why he thought that. I think he mostly leaned on the fact that you’re going to have to come back and work your way back anyway. And so, when Tatum returns this year, it’s not going to be full speed ahead, right? He might be coming off the bench. He might be playing 15 minutes. Like, you’re using your way back. What? I it’s there’s gonna be a there’s going to be a process of getting back into action especially in the middle of the year if that’s what he’s going to do like not having a training camp and practices and all that. So it’s going to be different than what we’re used to from him. But if he’s back that’s going to be huge momentum for this team. And I I don’t know I’ll ask you this. Do you think some of it will depend on where the team’s at at that point? Because I think some people have thought that too. like if they’re in the lottery at that point, maybe you just wait and if they’re in the playoff mix, maybe he’s more excited and urgent about coming back. So, that’s a great point and I have been thinking about that. You know, it Jason Tatum specifically. I think if it were any other elite um all-star kind of player, maybe you could argue the case of it depends on where the team is at. Maybe if it’s LeBron, maybe if it’s someone else who’s like, “Let’s see where the team is at and see if I’m going to be back out, you know, for the betterment of the future in 27 28.” But if you look at who Jason Tatum is, I don’t think anything is if he’s getting the the clearance and the green light to be back out there, I think he’s so obsessed with the game in a healthy way. I think he’s so in love with the game. He looks up to Kobe, you know, he has looked up to to Kobe for the longest time, RIP. Um, and I just think it’s it’s in it’s in his nature to be out there when he’s going to be out there. So, I don’t think even if you want him to, let’s say the Celtics are not having a great season and they’re trying to get a good draft pick in the future and they’re like, “Hey, Jason, like look, Jason, this isn’t even the it wouldn’t even make sense right now. Like, let’s wait for 27 28.” I think that’s going to be really hard to have him sit out just because he’s a baller and he wants to be out there on the court. It’s look, yeah, I mean, I think that there’s the the, you know, the professional side of things, the business side of things that you have to look at the future and your health and where you’re at, um, and and winning another championship, right? But I also think when it comes to the kind of kid of a player that he used to be, like growing up, playing in middle school, playing in high school, traveling with AU tournaments, and then winning a title, like he wants to be out there. So, if the if the Celtics do not do well, I have them kind of floating in that middle of the East uh this this year, I think they’re going to surprise a lot of folks. I really do. I just think that’s the part of the Celtics nature. Um but I think that if they’re competitive and they are competing like middle of the East, maybe fifth seed, six seed, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Jason Tatum back out there. Yeah, I think if this is going to be his mindset and if the recovery time is short of a year, we’ll see some amount of Tatum this year. That’s where I’m at now after hearing this. And that’s an exciting thing if you’re a fan. it’s not going to change their fortunes drastically this year cuz he’s still going to miss most of the season. But we’ll get into some of the guys who are going to have to lead them through that stretch here cuz that’s what’s going to be interesting here is as I said this is a guy who’s only missed 30 40 games in his career period to this point. So since 2018 and he’s been in a sizable role since his rookie year really this team hasn’t had to deal with h not having taken him for more than three or four games at a time ever. So, how are they going to deal with it now that he’s out for months and months to start this season? A lot of it’s going to fall on Jaylen Brown. Obviously, Pton Pritchard’s going to have a bigger role this year. Derek White, I almost think he’s been underrated in terms of how much he’ll have to do here, and I think he’s capable of a lot. And those are the big three there. And there’s a lot of newcomers as well. So, when you’re looking at how they’re going to get by without Tatum, who are you mostly thinking about here? So, the obvious I feel like everyone you just mentioned has been talking about is Jaylen Brown. Like, what who is Jaylen without Jason? Like, who is he kind of morphing into that number one role without there being a number one guy like the JT out there? So, my the obvious answer kind of goes to Jaylen Brown, but I think you really made a great point with Derek White. I actually think one who can really carry this team is D. White. Like I think after what he did last year, the three-point shooting, even just the intangibles of getting the the rebounds, obviously being the best shot blocker and a as a guard in the league, like the intangibles have made him such an incredible player just from last year and going into this season. So, I think that like Derek White is kind of being undervalued in terms of conversations going into this season. I don’t think I’m hearing that much about him. I think everyone loves D White. Oh, D. White’s great. He’s that player that’s gonna, you know, be the spark that the Celtics need. But I actually think he can be a carrier of this team. He’s going to have to be. Actually, I think it’s because when you look at Brown, you’re like, “Okay, he’s been in Tatum’s shadow. He’s going to do more.” When you look at Pritchard, he’s been off the bench. He’s probably going to start now. He’s going to do more. I think people are mostly expecting White to do the same thing. But we’ve seen with him when he gets more shots or more opportunities, he can be a guy who scores 20 25 points in a game. I’m actually going to look up right now what the most points in his career is in a game. He had the big one with Pritchard. I’d have to imagine was way up there. Combined 82. I think he had like 40. Was it 40 or 41? Derek White most points in a game. You’re going to guess 41. I’m gonna guess 42. 41 in game. That was close. So, he has scored 35 times in his career. He has scored 25 at least 25 times in his career. So, he’s done that before when he’s gotten the chance. And he’s efficient. He can get his own shot off, too. He’s not just a guy who Tatum had to drive and kick to. And he’s the point guard here now. So, there’s going to be a lot more from Derek White, I think, than people expect. You know, there was another guy I that people I feel like will maybe overlook a little here. um that I actually have being kind of most improved for this season is Namish Kada. I think um I mean what he’s been doing in Portugal look they playing for his native country leading them to the to the nation’s first tournament victory since 2007. His numbers by the way I have him let me read 23 points in the final game. 23 points 11 of 15 shooting 18 rebounds four blocks two steals. Now listen, I understand that it’s not in the NBA. These guys will play overseas, but when you play overseas and you’re able to build that confidence and to see those numbers tell the story, I think Nimi is going to have he already has such an opportunity in front of him. My biggest concern for the Celtics actually is the front court, right? You get rid of Chris, they had to get under the tax. Obviously, financial burdens was the priority for this team going into this year, especially with Jason Tatum hurt. But you have Chris Apps, Porzingis, Luke Cornet not here, Drew Holiday, who’s also a great defensive player, rebounder, media day, is going to be tough without Luke. It’s gonna be tough. It’s gonna be tough. But and just Luke because of character, because of nitty-gritty things, that’s a whole another conversation, too. The character, who’s going to adapt? They need a guy to keep it light-hearted. It’s a long freaking season. So, who’s going to be the I don’t think I’m not saying Nimi is going to be the guy that’s going to be that character. Bubbly, funny. He’s He’s a very quiet guy. We’ve been around him. Um, but in terms of upside physically out there on the court, you know, he’s been questioned defensively, but I think when you go and play overseas, I’ve seen it personally. My sister does not play in the NBA, but her playing in the W, she had to go play overseas to gain that confidence. And now she was able to do her thing. Now that’s a different league, but I’m saying same thing with these professional athletes. Sometimes you got to go get that confidence and bring it back. And I think Nimish Kada is going I I actually am very bullish on Kada this season. Um he’s going to have to whether him Chris Ruchcher, you know, Luca Garza, one of those guys. It’s going to be a competition at the center position, but Mimi is already in this league. He’s with this team. So, I’m looking forward to seeing what he he’s going to be able to do this season. In terms of the personality, I think you’re going to see a Monday. And I I want to get into our expectations for what Monday’s going to be like, but it’s gonna be Josh Mot. I’ll tell you right now, that’s going to be the guy who I like that. I saw I saw him at Fenway. We interviewed him out at Vegas. That guy’s funny and he talks and talks and talks and yeah, he’s going to be that guy, especially if he plays. I think he’ll play a little bit among the new guys there, but he’s going to be the one I’ll tell you to keep it light and almost in a Rob Williams way if you remember how he used to be personalitywise. Don’t tell Chris Forsber that he will lose his mind. Chris with Rob and Time Lord. Oh my god, that that’s like music to his ears. Although he’s irreplaceable, but um that’s good to know. They need a personality. They really do. Yeah. Starting lineup, I don’t see it. Pritchard’s gotten a little louder. Kada might you calling everyone boring? They’re quiet guys. They are a lot of them. You know, the Marcus Grant, the big talkers have all gone out the door. Chris Staps, I mean, that one’s Oh, man. That one’s about as big of a loss as you can imagine when it comes to talking. But, uh, we’ll get back into the basketball, what the media day is going to look like here in just a second. Want to tell everybody about prize picks because another week of football is coming up and there’s no better way to get in on the action than with prize picks. You and I make decisions every day, but on prize picks, being right can get you paid. Don’t miss any of the excitement this season on prize picks where it’s good to be right. And finally, I got a win in our CLNS fantasy league this week. I started 0 and2 injuries, guys going out of the lineup. It took me a minute to get going there. So, when I’m losing in the full season league, I want to go and make a weekly team. 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That’s code CNS to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup. Prize picks. It’s good to be right. So, we were talking about this uh with Noah last week. Kayla, what you know, we did talked about Tatum. That’s the big one to me. What else are you interested to see out of media day? like what’s the big question, who you want to hear from, any single thing you’re looking forward to on Monday. So, I think part of it is going to be a and we won’t um set him up this way, but a little of it is a get to know some of the new guys like Ugo Gonzalez, like you know, who are you most interested in among the new guys? I think Ugo. I think just because I I I personally loved his draft party nonparty sitting in like I think he looked like he just got out of practice. I don’t even know. It was the championship game that night in so they won the championship. He stayed up all night and then got drafted. Plastic chair like so low key. You know, these guys are are dripped out in chains and and all the which shout out them because it’s it’s a fun look. I can’t afford that, but cheers to them. You know, it’s like a whole look, a whole vibe. And here’s Ugo just like cool. So, I like the humility whether he planned that or not. I mean, you just said he had his championship game. Um, but also like just his energy picking up I watched some tape on him. Um, and just picking up guys full court, you know, being kind of that whether he plays, whether he who knows. Um, but just how he approaches the game. I also for the sake of media day, you know who I’m really interested in kind of talking to again is Baylor Shyman. I remember after the first when he got drafted and when he was interviewed on media day, not that he was shy, but he was just new. He’s new. He’s young, a rookie. And we saw him in sprinkled minutes come out of his shell throughout last season. Even just the kiss to the fans kind of adapting Jason’s, you know, mannerisms. Celebration. Yeah. Yeah. Like the confidence that started to unfold as the season, even in just those small incremental minutes, it started to un unleash itself. And so, um, I talk about Nimi, but I think personalitywise, I think confidence-wise, like, and as a potential leader, I’m excited to see Baylor. I also think he’s funnier than people. Like I think he’s a jokester. I think he’s like hilarious and so I want to get that out of him on media day. Maybe you guys can make some comments and and see what I can get out of. We we asked him what his favorite Missoula story was. We had him on the show earlier this summer and he said, “Oh, you know, Joe came up to me when I first got here and was like, I don’t like rookies, so you know, you’re gonna have to really prove yourself.” That sort of thing. And then we asked Tory Craig his favorite Joe story and he was like, “Oh yeah, Baylor and Joe ran into each other in the hallway and they both want to let each other through the same door and they just had a standoff for like 20, 30 minutes, 40 minutes before one of the games and they both just sat there. One of them laid down. Then finally the team had a meeting or something. So yeah, Baylor’s got some stories already since he’s been here. Oh my god, that’s hilarious. And and honestly, he can have a role. What’ you say? He’s gonna have a role this year for sure. I agree. Shyman. I agree. I also, this is funny or interesting and I want to know your thoughts on this. I’m trying to um kind of go through what the starting lineup is going to be. I have made so many different combinations of this lineup and I still can’t put my finger on it because I’m like, okay, do they go do they aim to go a little more frontcourt heavy even though they don’t have a lot of front court, you know, compared to Chris Apps and and Al Horford who Yeah. But do they have like a double big and Kada and maybe Chris Buché or do they go a little more guard oriented and throw in maybe Anthony Simons if he’s here? um you know game one like what is Pritchard going to be in the lineup is he coming off the bench does he go from six man of the year to maybe fifth man of the year by being in that starting lineup so or Sam Hower like is he going to be the starter as he’s kind of that like guard forward you know not huge presence but a presence I think hower was a little bit under look overlooked I should say uh last year even just the numbers you know he was shooting 45% % from the field, 41% from the three, averaging 21 a little over 21 minutes per game. I think he’s going to need to score more though. Like, you know, he only had eight and a half points per game. And so, if he’s going to be in that starting role, he’s got to he’s got to contribute a little bit more points-wise. But where where are you at with this combination in terms of starters? Because I I’m all over the place. Yeah, I was pretty firm before they got Buché that it would be White, Pritchard, Hower, Brown, and Kada, the guys who have been here, and they’ve played together. And when you look over the last two years, those five have actually played together a decent amount. So, that’s good from a chemistry standpoint that those guys know each other and have been here. Uh but with Tatum out and and when you just start to think about what they’re going to miss with Tatum, like the scoring is so obvious and the shooting and those things, but like he got all their rebounds the last couple years and he’s defending big guys and he’s, you know, just doing a million different small things that they’re going to miss. Like the rebounding thing to me is is as big of a thing as any other that for the first time in a while it’s going to be like, “All right, how’s this team hitting the boards?” So I’m going bouche. I think I want on most nights this team to play bigger. They’re gonna have to flex their offensive rebounding advantage where they can. Um, Buché is great on the boards. He’s like 10 rebounds per 36 for his career. So, I want him out there. I think he’s one of their better players. That was an underrated signing late in the offseason getting him for the minimum. So, I I want him in there. That’s probably going to send Hower to the bench. I definitely want to see Pritchard in there. That one to me has almost been a no-brainer because of what he did last year and what he’s earned. And I think to me he’s about as surefired as anyone to have a massive year. Like what he’s done when he’s gotten more opportunity, it’s always been a big game like almost every single time. So I want to see him out there. Who knows if Simons is staying? That’s another interesting Well, it’s interesting too with Houston and Van Vleet now. Like does he become maybe an option for Houston? Like who who knows? Someone to look at for sure. Now do the Celtics do that? Take back Van Fleet. I don’t know. But I mean, they’ve certainly been open to hearing what teams want to offer for Simons, and we haven’t even heard from him yet. So, that’ll be another interesting thing on Monday with Payton. This is where I get weird about I’m not a um superstitious person because I don’t I just think that that’s and cheers to the Yeah, I know where you’re going to go with this. H I don’t know if I want him starting. And that’s no if that’s not a dig at I am like one of the biggest Pton Pritchards fan. I I think he’s incredible and I love him being the spark off the bench. I don’t know if that’s probably unfair and I don’t think you should box any player who deserves to get minutes the way Pitcher does. I just love this plays the TD Garden erupts when he comes off the bench and gets ready to clock in and go in because I just think like he’s that he’s the spark. So, I I again I don’t want to box him in if he does start because they do need a point guard out there and and D White, of course, any of those guys can bring up the ball, but I just want to know if Payton Pritchard is in that starting lineup, someone has to evolve to be that spark. Is it Sam Hower? Is it Who knows? I don’t know. It’s a good question. Yeah, they don’t have a ton off the bench if they start their best players. The Celtics thrive off of a spark. every team does, but the Celtics specifically thrive off of a player coming off the bench. And I’m trying to figure out who that is with if Pritchard is in the lineup. Has to be Simons. And who knows what he’s capable of on in a new system. The defense wasn’t great in Portland, but he could certainly I mean, he led that team in scoring last year, so it would be him. Uh, but is he better with the starters, especially defensively, or is Pritchard, you know, better off the bench, and that’s how they have to flip it? I’m not opposed to that if that’s the case. I just think Pritchard earned it. I want to see him do more. I want to see him get greater opportunity now that it’s there in front of him. And they’re going to have to collectively make up for what they lost in Tatum. So, the more Pritchard can be on the court, and they can still do that if he comes off the bench, obviously bring him in quicker, um have a smaller lineup out there after the starters. And if it’s, let’s say, White, Simons, Brown, Boucher, and Kada, you know, there’s a lot more defense around Simons at that point to get him through that side of the floor and, you know, make it easier on him. So, whatever needs say. I I’m sure they’re going to try a lot of stuff in the preseason. They’re going to mix and match even into the regular season like Joe would always say. Jordan Walsh starting occasion. Like, who knows what they’re going to do with this thing. Like, I’m not I don’t think Jordan Walsh is going to be the starter, but maybe he maybe we see an inconsistent lineup or a consistent inconsistent lineup depending, you know, if they want to go I’m sure that’s going to be the case this year. That’s what I think. I don’t think that they’re going to have their set five every single time because they’re going to have to go double big against some teams. They’re going to have to go more guard heavy to push the pace. So, who maybe they’ll have their, you know, baseline, but all in all, I wouldn’t be surprised if you see a Jordan Walsh in that lineup occasionally or or Simons or, you know, now you have the double big between Kada and Chris Buché or Garza. You know, who knows? Like, it can be Tetris every other day. All right, I’m going to ask you yours after this. I want to shout out Game Time. It’s a big time to go over to Game Time right now. Not only because listen, you know, there are partners here. We want to support them. They support us. Help, you know, get our coverage here on CNNs Media as the Celtics season gets going. We want to help you, too. Get into these games. Patriots playing every week. Kayla’s been down there non-stop at Gillette. Great games coming up. Home games down there. See more wins from the Pats. Yep. Celtics will be back soon as well. Preseason getting going in just a couple weeks here. And then, of course, the opener against Philly. And all that’s available over on the Game Time app along with concerts. I’m a big concert guy, so I’m always going to see a show. And my favorite part of game time is that you can see where you’re going to be standing, where you’re going to be sitting, what your view of the stage is going to be or the field or whatever. Red Sox might be playing in the playoffs coming up. There’s so much going on right now. And prize pick has your seats with fees included so you know your total upfront. No surprise fees at checkout. Zone deals save you even more when you choose a section like game time. Choose your seats. And with the favorites tool, you can snag new ticket deals before anyone finds out by following your favorite teams in the app. Panoramic views of your seat. That’s my favorite feature. And with the lowest price guarantee, Game Time will credit you 100 to 10% of the difference with the most flexible customer service policy in the ticketing industry. So, help out our coverage of the Celtics, Pats, and more this year by using the code CLNS. When you download the Game Time app, create an account, and use the code CLNS for $20 off your first purchase. And again, you get $20 off your first purchase for any game or concert you want to see this fall. So, go check it out. Create an account and redeem the code sealing us for $20 off. Swipe, tap, ticket, go download the Game Time app today. Love the app. Been using it way longer than we’ve even partnered with them here. So, check it out. So, who’s going to be your five on the average night? Ah. All right. Ready? Let’s do it. Let’s do it. Jaylen Brown, Derek White. Um, okay. JB, Derek White. I like to go guard before I go. Namish Kada. Um, I think to start I think to Are we going regular night or to start? To start. Okay, let’s go to start. I think they’re going to throw I I actually submitted my list to Chris Forsber and now I’m already changing it. I think to start they’re going to go with familiarity. I think they’re going to go Payton, Derek, Jaylen, Sam, Mimi. Those I think are the guys to start. I think what may evolve could be Payton, Derek, Jaylen, Namish, Chris Buchet. Yeah, I feel really good about Buché in there. Now, it’s it’s tough, right? like sending Pritchard Hower, one of those guys, to the bench is difficult. But Noah did ask, she interviewed Pritchard a couple weeks ago and said, you know, do you want to start? Do you want to come off the bench? And he said he’ll do whatever. Um, but I do think about the Pritchard bench thing just like you do because I remember the game he played in Portland last year. I believe was the only game he started all year. And he didn’t play great, right? Foul. Yeah. and then he said, “I I didn’t feel comfortable coming, you know, starting after um coming off the bench the whole year.” So, I don’t know if that applies going into camp with all the changes they’ve made. This is a guy who’s always wanted to push himself and always wanted to reach another level. Um so, I wouldn’t be surprised if behind the scenes or, you know, off the record, he prefers to start and make that push for himself going into this year. That’s just who he is. Um, and he’s been working hard, you know, doing his usual drills that he does during the summer with all his friends and all that. So, I want to see him starting. Just personally, I think it’s a great story. I think he’s going to surprise a lot of people around the league this year. Um, but Joe’s going to do what’s best for the team. And, you know, to go back to my question earlier, I’m so curious to see what Joe’s going to say. That’s one of my that might be my biggest thing after Tatum on media day is where’s Joe at? And, you know, I talked to him here and there a few times this summer, you know, at different events. he seems excited about this opportunity and I think for a coach when you have all these questions and you’re trying to come up with answers that is exciting to some degree and for fans they’re going to figure out a lot about this group this year too. A lot of new faces like you said and all that. So, um his only media appearance that I can think of off the top of my head, he was definitely reeling from the losses a little bit, calling the offseason miserable, but uh I think he’s excited to see what they can do this year and you know Kada getting to make that leap. He loves Pritchard. Like there’s still some guys here, Jaylen included, who he feels great about. And if I I’ll say this about the Tatum thing, too. Keeping that door open for him to return is going to help him with his workouts and just getting through dayto-day. I think that’s a big reason they’ve left the door open for him. But that has to help the team, too, right? Like, let’s hold it down till January, February, March, and then, you know, Tatum’s potentially coming back. And could you make a playoff push this year if that happens? like that changes everything. I 100%. And I I also think like there’s so many storylines and reasons why to have um you know like why to have the mentality to ball out early and to prove kind of everyone wrong who thinks that oh this is going to be a wash of a season or this season like without Tatum forget it we’ll have to wait till 27 28 like no there’s there’s so there’s a lot of motivating factors starting with one I think Jaylen Brown internally he may not vocalize this but I think he wants to show the that he can be the number one guy and it’s no dig. It’s nothing personal against Jason Tatum. I think he’s here to say like look, this is the case scenario. This is a situation. Put the ball in my hands. Everyone who says I can’t dribble or or I turn it over or whatever, like I’m going to show you that I’m him. And so I think that’s the mentality he’s going into this season. Whether or not he goes and does that, that TBD, right? Um, but I also think to your point, Bobby, if they can set this team up for success and be competitive in the East now all of a sudden, you know, Jason Tatum already made told First Take and the viewers like, “Hey, I didn’t say I’m ruling myself out this season.” They should position themselves the best they can, whether he comes back or not to at least open the door for him to say, “Hey, like we we’re here right now. we’re four we’re floating or flirting with four fifth seed like we need you to get back in this thing even if it’s in increments to boost us up and be competitive in the east. So, I think all the reasons, you know, for this team to to try and be competitive, like no one no one’s going into this year, if you’re the player saying like, uh, wait till next year. Like, what that I hate when people say, “Do they tank?” I never believe in that. Professionals don’t tank. Like, maybe maybe front office people can can, you know, have certain starters start like they can mess with the game a little bit to tank, but like the athletes themselves, they’re they’re not going they’re going out and they’re going to give it their all. Yeah. No, there’s a lot of unproven guys that they put in big positions this year. So, I think from that perspective, they haven’t put themselves in the best situation to succeed this year. But, as they’ve mentioned, their priority is just getting Tatum back. And whenever that happens, they’ll be able to position themselves better if they’re able to at that point. But, in the meantime, it’s opportunity for guys. How what do you think? Um, sorry to interrupt you. I just want to know your thoughts on this. What are you making of Jaylen Brown? Like, what do you think he’s What do you think he’s going to be this season? I’m so fascinated by it. I think it’s such a great story and I wrote about it today. This is what he’s wanted. Like he’s made no mistake about the fact that he thinks he can lead a team. He’s excited about that opportunity and he’s going to have to go out and show he can do that now. And there are games from his career and you don’t even have to look back too far. Game five, right? He best game of his career I think against the Knicks after Tatum went down and they win that home game and forces game six and then in game six it’s seven turnovers and he fouled out in the third quarter and it was the worst side of his game and when you look at the numbers and when you look at what he’s done without Tatum throughout his career he’s always been closer to 30 points a game pretty efficient 47% from the field not the three-point shooter Tatum is but he can create he’s gotten better as a playmaker. He had his career high in assists last year. And his, if you look at the net ratings of when Tatum was off the floor and Brown was on the floor leading the lineups, the Brown led lineups were as good as Tatum led lineups last year, you know, with each of those guys out there alone. So, he’s come a long way in being able to lead lineups. Leading a team, it’s a little different, right? Because you can’t have a bad night. Like, you every single night it’s going to be on him. like unless other guys are picking him up here or there, you have to be consistent every single night. And that’s going to be the challenge for him early on. I think not only him, but the whole team’s going to go through some bumps early. Like I think getting used to life without Tatum, figuring out what they’re going to do lineupwise, all that’s going to be a big adjustment. And when I look at the schedule, the early weeks are pretty tough. They have a lot of difficult opponents. So 15, 20 games to figure it out. But then I think he’s going to get on a tear. I think they’re going to have everything figured out by that point. And then as we mentioned here, if Tatum can get back later in the year, that’s just another option. But I think Jaylen’s about as poised as or you know, prepared as anyone to step into a situation like this as any number two option would be because he’s done it before. Um he’s every bit the scorer, star, you know, athletic specimen that Tatum is. But it’s going to have to be different. And this is the key to me. They have to change their play style a little bit. Can’t be Jaylen taking 10 threes a game. It can’t be him absorbing double teams every play like Tatum did. Like they got to run. They got to cut more. They got to play more Jaylen style of basketball. You know, Tatum style. It’s methodical. He’s plotting. He’s leading the defense. It’s a little slower. Jaylen likes to run. You know, Jaylen likes to get out on the move, make plays in transition. So, if they play that style of basketball, it’s going to look different. There might be some more inconsistency. There might be a few more turnovers. But I think this could actually be more of a fun team to watch this year just based off the style Jaylen plays. And I’m excited for that. I I’m fascinated by Jaylen finally getting to lead his own team. This is what he’s always wanted and we’re going to see it now. Me, too. And I think it’s also going to be fascinating to see how Missoula and the coaches adjust to the new number one guy, which is probably Jaylen. So, like you just mentioned it, they may play more fast-paced, uptempo. Uh, it’s not going to be a Jason Tatum offense. He’s not out there right now. You know, he won’t be out there early and and unless there’s something else, I don’t know. But if you cater to Jaylen Brown, it’s going to be interesting to see how the coaches adjust to him as well being the number one guy. And lastly, I’ll add this is going to be really telling to see if Jaylen Brown is the true can be a true number one or is he just a great number two? Because we already know he’s a great number two, but can he be a true number one in his offense in his own offense? So, do you think I do I think he can. Can he be consistently is is where I start to hesitate and question because I’m not going to say look in the he should have done it in the playoffs. You should have carried them past. You should have carried them beyond that. Was that a piano? Yeah, I got a little little piano behind me. I thought it was like setting mood for the what I was saying. Um, but yeah, I think it’s just a matter of you just mentioned it. Consistency. I think he can do it in increment in in small little glimpses, but can he do it from start at least to finish until Tatum gets back or when if and when he does? But I think he can do it. I really do. A lot of people in my like co-workers of mine do not think he can. And there may be people in the comments section who are like screw that. Jaylen Brown does not have I think it’s so funny how hot and cold the fans are on him. And we’re going to go through that this year, right? Like when he plays bad, that’s going to be the worst thing ever. And when he plays great, they’re going to fall in love with him again. But, you know, he was out there all summer selling himself to the fans. I think he recovered pretty quickly from that surgery. and you know, every single year he gets a little better and that’s been the story of his career. So, I’m a believer in Jaylen this year. I’m glad they kept him and I don’t think they explored the trade deals too deeply, you know, according to them. So, this is where they’re at and, you know, they’ll assess it on the fly and figure out what they’re going to do here based off how the team performs. Like a lot of this is going to be dictated early on and you know how this first half goes, Tatum’s return, what they do with the roster, you know, how much Jaylen and Derek are playing down the stretch, like a lot of that’s going to be decided by how they get off to a good start here. And um that’s just under a month from now. We got opening night and then on Monday is Are you ready? Are you ready to go? You guys comment section. Let me know what you think of Bobby’s beard. He’s got the new look. I’m for it. I’m for it. Look, I’m glad you brought it up because I was wondering if I was new season, new you. Yeah, I was wondering if I was gonna bring that in the media day. I might I might actually do it now. Just keep it going. So, I got a couple questions for you before we get out here. And speaking of media day, what do you guys have planned over at NBC? I know there’s always uh fun coverage for you guys. Yeah, we’ll be live streaming. We’ll be live streaming the whole thing. I mean, so tune in for sure. will be like, I believe, five hours, something along those lines. Um, and it’s going to be uh just, you know, players coming in. Last year, we like to have them organized and and but, you know, these guys will go do their what they need to do. It’s pictures in the background and then we’ll get the random people stopping by. We’ll have Eddie House with us. Um, Mark’s gonna be with us. I wonder Scall. I gotta taked with Scal. uh because we love a scallop appearance. But I know e- house is going to be in the house. So, and then we’ll have different, you know, all the all the players stopping by, sitting with us, getting to talk about some of the things they did in the off season. I totally need to ask Jaylen about I I not sure if you guys saw this, but all the mis calls that he had with all his he went on like gonna call. I do understand that he changed his number, so I guess that was the reason why. Oh, is that what it was? I was wondering what it must have been. Everyone’s like, “Yo, bro, you got a new number. I didn’t recognize uh I don’t know if they were trying to cover themselves, but he didn’t have I will say I’m not picking up any random numbers.” Yeah, I’m not crazy about that either. Yeah, especially these guys, you know. No, they’re not going to pick up random numbers. So, um but that was really funny because he’s like, “No, this dude will definitely answer.” And like no one answered. Um content. Yeah. Yeah. Hearing about what they did in the off season. I’m excited to talk to Nimi and his comp. just I want to see how he talks and not not really scrutinize him. I know he’s quiet. He’s quiet, but I want to see where his confidence level is at even just I could see it. So, I spent a week with him out in Portugal. Saw the workouts, saw his camp. Yeah. And he’s just flourishing as a pro, as a Celtic, and even just representing that country and what he means there. It was so cool to see just who he is, you know, in his hometown, in his home country. And he has he has a confidence going into this year. And I think Joe has a confidence in him, too, that’s going to surprise people. Like, they’ve been together for three years now. Joe’s talked about how you have to coach certain people certain ways. And Kate has allowed him to coach him very tough and yell at him and pull him out of games and just have that approach with him. And I think it’s come off like Joe doesn’t love Kada, but I actually think he does in the fact that he can accept coaching that way. I will attest to this. I was on the trip last year when they played um was it Toronto? Yeah, you had Toronto. Charlotte, but then there was uh Toronto and Detroit back toback. Y and I think if I can retrace my memory, um Nimi was like sick prior to those games. I think it was like And you know he he wasn’t playing great defense and Joe is lighting I mean took him out lighting him up but it was funny because um you you know you you travel with this team you’re on the buses et and etc. And you see Joe toy with like toy with Nimi in almost a not fatherson way. I won’t disrespect like the the manhood of of Mimi calling him like Joe’s son, but I’m saying like they do have a really great bond and relationship than people see or think. Like I Joe knows the buttons that he can press and push with his guys, including Mimi. And um they they have a pretty solidified relationship and I’m excited to see Kada kind of rise to the challenge of being that main front court guy if he can be. I think he can. Yeah, he’s that guy and they got some support there, but I think it’s his position to run with there and that’s pretty impressive because you would think after what they lost this summer it’d be wide open. It’ be a lot of competition there, but I think the summer he had and how long he’s been here, it’s pretty firmly cater. Uh so I’m excited about him too. Definitely way up there for me among the story lines start this year. There’s so many of them, many we didn’t even get to get to here, but uh we’ll continue the conversation into next week. I want to ask you as well, you mentioned her, your sister Veronica won most improved in the WNBA this year. What was that like following her season? Because I got to follow along with it too in the Valkyries in their first season and made it to the playoffs. And it was a big storyline that really got me into the WNBA more than I ever had before. Like just that team getting started and her story. First of all, I appreciate you um mentioning her. Yeah, she and I appreciate all the people who support the W and have been following the the Valkyries specifically. Um, you know, my sister was out of the WNBA just a year ago. So, to see her to see her just regain her confidence and I talked about Namish Kada, not he didn’t he’s never left the NBA, you know, right? But to see these players play overseas and have to build their own confidence, figure things out, have new teammates, speak foreign langu languages. Like Veronica was in Australia, now they’re they speak English, but she was in Poland the year before. Uh I visited her in Poland. Like they don’t speak they’re in Poland, so it’s a completely different language. Um, but just to see the process of it all and then as you just mentioned for her to get most improved like the the coach Natalie Cass, she’s she shadowed fun fact the coach of the Golden State Valkyries is my sister’s team who also got coach of the year. Shout out her spent time a month or so with Joe Misoula. She was shadowing Joe Misoula. She is the female version of Joe. She’s nuts in a great way. And Joe actually went out um in the all-star or summer league, excuse me, and wa went to Veronica’s practice and, you know, talked to Veronica, talked to to Natalie, and and so the they have they’re a three-point shooting team, too, ironically. Um, but it was so amazing to see just this team kind of be a Cinderella story. Like they’re they’re a bunch of women that didn’t get a lot of minutes before. Caitlyn Clark’s uh former teammate. Kate Martin is my sister’s teammate and she was incredible this year. So to see all those women kind of like put this thing together and make a playoff run against Minnesota was pretty neat. They lost by one in game two, but um but yeah, you know, seeing Veronica get most improved as as a sister uh was emotional in a great way because you see someone’s confidence go low. Imagine any one of us losing a job and then staying with it, fighting to keep being in it and then to flourish. And she’s got to keep going. Listen, but she she’s got to climb off of here, right? She’s got to climb up. But but thanks for paying attention. Thanks for watching and and all the people who have watched because it’s it’s cool. I personally am a huge fan of the W and you guys know we’re big Celtics fans. We’re NBA fans. So cool to see the NBA also support these these Women. Yeah. And we’ll see. Can they get a team to Boston? That’s actually one of the questions I have. We’re going to talk to Bill Chisum on Thursday and see where he’s at as owner of the Celtics and what his plan is for this team and yeah. Yeah. No, I think that’s one of the big questions after what went down this summer with uh that purchase not going through for Steve Peg Luca and all that. So, I don’t know what their plan is to bring the W to Boston. A lot of people are going to be interested in the plan he has for the Celtics first and foremost. This is the first time he’s speaking uh since becoming the Celtics governor. So, I don’t know. Do you have any expectations for this or questions or you know what are you just curious about as this team changes ownership here? Um curious to see but I feel like I don’t want to say I’m so confident because I don’t know Bill Chism personally. I actually am meeting him tomorrow. He’s going to step he’s going to come to our office at NBC I believe and I don’t know what time or anything but I believe I’m meeting him tomorrow. Um which is really he’s a voracious Celtics media consumer. So he might he might have seen a lot of your stuff already. I know I’m nervous about I’m like oh my gosh impressions I still need to get you know most improved. I’m still I’m still improving and need work to do. Um, but I I feel like from the the little that I know of him so far, just him being a native guy, like that’s important and I’m curious to see how he allows Joe, Brad, um, some of these front office guys who have been here to continue to do what they’ve been doing where he where he puts his foot in the door with certain stuff. But it just seems like right on initially that he’s not coming in and saying, “Hey, this is my way. This is how we’re going to do things.” Like he doesn’t give off that vibe. Um I don’t know what happens behind the scenes, but I I’m really appreciative of how he’s allowing the Celtics to continue to be the Celtics point. So I’m curious to see how that fixates or maybe changes down the road. Like if they start to lose, what happens? If they start to win, like how does he react? That’s going to be the real truthtelling of of the scenario. But early first impressions, Bobby, I mean, I think I think they got a good guy. I’m not concerned about him in terms of leadership and taking over in the wrong way. Yeah, he’s transitioned in more than he’s taken over for sure. And there isn’t going to be that transition period quite the way they described it first with Wick staying on, but he will be there. Uh he’s still part of this ownership group as well, even though it’s not exactly going the way they initially described it. So sure that question will come up as well here. But you know so far it just seems like a lot of the same of what it’s been here even since he’s taken over. So um there’ll be decisions down the line they have to make but that time will come when that time comes. So uh it’ll be interesting to hear from him. And that is Thursday at 2:30. I’m sure we’ll be streaming it live here and check out Caleb Burton’s work over at NBC Sports Boston. Not just the Celtics coverage but Boston Sports Tonight and Pat coverage as well. So, you’re doing a little bit of everything over there, right? It’s fun. Yeah, we’re having a great time covering all of this stuff and I’m excited for the Celtics to start up. I’ll say that because, you know, you got the Patriots. Hopefully they get a win on Sunday against the Panthers. We’ll see. But, uh, but yeah, we’ve been covering a lot. They got the Bruins starting up. Um, and hopefully the Red Sox can make their playoff push. I know you’ve been covering the Red Sox, too, as well, which is really cool. Yeah. Yeah. And it’s been f I love baseball. I grew up a baseball guy. I wanted to cover it when I was a kid. I’m glad I chose basketball the way things have gone. But yeah, it’s been cool to be there the last month or two. And uh we’ll have playoff coverage over here as well on Red Sox Clubhouse, so subscribe over there. The last they got six games left. Um they’re a game up on the playoff spot. And they can still get into a Yankee series, which I think is what everybody wants to see. So um that starts tonight and then final home stand is Friday through Sunday and then playoffs start next Tuesday. So, a week from today, Red Sox will be playing in the playoffs. I think I hope. I know. I think so, too. I think they’ll be okay. They got to They got to If they can finish four, they’re in a good spot. They’re in a good spot right now. They control their own destiny. So, uh that’s that. Again, uh people can follow you. K Breezy22 on Twitter. My handle something like Yeah. Kreezy22 and then KB2 whatever else. And and again, show some love to our sponsors here. big reason we’re able to cover the Celtics the way we do here. CLNS on prize picks 50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup. And CNS over on Game Time for $20 off your first ticket purchase. Terms apply. That’s it for us here today. We will be back on Thursday after Bill’s press conference with the whole crew, Jimmy, John, Noah, and all them. So, uh, subscribe, turn on notifications to know when we go live that day, and we will talk to you then. Thanks, Caleb, for stopping by. Hey, always great to talk to you here. Thanks so much for having me, Bobby. And thanks for everyone tuning in. No one’s sneaking a vegan brownie by me. I’ll tell you that. Okay, you know what, John? We’re going to do it. You have to feel that way, too, Bobby. I have to feel that way. A slide out over and and make Luke your first center. Bobby, we gave you Luke hour earlier. We are not going to end this on a damn conversation about Luke. [Music]

Bobby Manning welcomes Kayla Burton to the Garden Report to discuss training camp starting in one week, the biggest questions and storylines we’ll follow from the Celtics this year, and her expectations for the team.