Jaylen Brown's DRAMATIC Mental Shift | Is This the KEY to Celtics' SUCCESS?

Summary

Locked On Celtics – Daily Podcast On The Boston Celtics

Host: John Karalis (Boston Sports Journal)
Episode Date: September 30, 2025
Episode Title: Jaylen Brown's DRAMATIC Mental Shift | Is This the KEY to Celtics' SUCCESS?

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Episode Overview

In this episode, John Karalis recaps Media Day for the Boston Celtics, focusing on the most significant developments around the team as the 2025-26 NBA season gets underway. The three central stories:

1. Jason Tatum’s Achilles recovery and the mental hurdles he faces.
2. Jaylen Brown’s notable growth and mental shift, with Brown himself explaining a newfound sense of peace and maturity.
3. Anthony Simons’ criticized comments on defense, presented in full context to clarify public reaction.

John brings listeners behind the scenes, directly quoting the key figures and offering in-depth, first-hand analysis as a beat writer closely embedded with the team.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jason Tatum’s Recovery: The Process and Mental Challenge

• Physical Milestones:

  • Tatum describes the stages of his Achilles rehab, focusing on the tough early days ("being in disbelief") and the sense of progress as he shed crutches and walking boots.
    • Quote (Tatum, 04:55): “The toughest part was at the beginning, just kind of being in disbelief ... I had to accept it. I think at the moment I accepted that this happened and this was going to be a part of my life, I started to see a turning point...”

• Upcoming Mental Hurdles:

  • John highlights that while Tatum’s physical recovery is ahead of schedule, the biggest challenge will be mental: resisting the urge to rush back as the team begins training camp and games without him.
  • John (06:14): "Now comes a very, very difficult part ... This is where the mental toughness really, really kicks in, because this is where the temptation to rush ..."

• Support System: Joe Mazzulla’s Role

  • Coach Joe Mazzulla is intentionally present throughout Tatum’s recovery – lifting with him, rebounding, and offering moral support during key milestones (walking, running, shooting again).
    • Quote (Mazzulla, 10:10): “I was there for the first time he walked. I was there for the first time he ran. I was there for the first shots that he took. So I think it’s important… guys that are going through stuff, you have to know that you’re going through it together.”
  • John emphasizes that Mazzulla’s relationship-building is crucial for team buy-in and for guiding Tatum’s eventual return to fit the Celtics’ evolving play style.

• Speedy Recovery, Not Rushed:

  • John speculates that Tatum could return even sooner than expected, potentially making him a leader in accelerated Achilles recoveries; warns, however, against pushing too fast.

Notable Quote

• Tatum (04:55):

  “Things that you take for granted, you walking around and my hands are free, you know, that made me feel a little bit more normal. Getting out of the boot made all the difference.”

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2. Jaylen Brown’s Mental Shift & Maturity

• New Public Persona:

  • Jaylen Brown is more visible, engaging on Twitch and sharing more of his personality with the world.

• Inner Peace and Openness:

  • Brown articulates a significant internal shift, from feeling the need to “protect himself” to a place of “peace” and comfort in showing his real self.
  • Quote (Brown, 17:32): “I’ve gotten to a point in my life where I’m at peace and I feel like I can express more of myself to the world ... I just haven’t opened up at all over the last five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten years. So just starting that journey I started maybe a year ago ... showing the world who Jaylen Brown really is.”

• Maturity & Perspective on Pressure:

  • With a prompt from John, Brown frames this as not just maturity but “a different level of peace ... where at times I would struggle with the dynamic between certain things ... dealing with the media, ... expectations, and ... pressure.”
  • Brown now lets go of the added burden of expectations:
    • Quote (Brown, 18:28): “I don’t care. ... The pressure, all the expectations, all that stuff is real, but I don’t need to put anything extra on myself. I know who I am, I know what I’m capable of, so I’ma just shine my light and let the chips fall where they may.”

• John’s Analysis:

  • John is enthusiastic, describing Brown’s change as “personal growth” and saying this could be key to the team’s chemistry and resilience.
  • He openly reconsiders his own earlier skepticism regarding Brown’s long-term fit in Boston, saying he now feels less worried about Brown seeking a “number one” role elsewhere.
  • John (19:21): “If [Jaylen] is not sincere, then I’m gonna ask him what acting classes he took over the summer because I believe him ... that changes my mind.”

Notable Quotes

• Brown (17:32):

  “I can express more of myself to the world ... just starting that journey ... showing the world who Jaylen Brown really is.”

• Brown (18:28):

  “I know who I am, I know what I’m capable of, so I’ma just shine my light and let the chips fall where they may.”

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3. Anthony Simons’ Defense Comment: Full Context

• The Viral Quote & Fan Backlash:

  • Simons was criticized on social media after part of his quote on defense circulated:
    • Quote (Simons, 28:28): “It’s just a matter of if I want to do it or not. ... It’s really that simple.”
  • John provides the full context, where Simons immediately acknowledges the need to adjust in Boston and that Missoula has talked to him about it. Simons admits he must put in the work, and he welcomes the challenge.
    • Full context (Simons, 28:28): “Coming into a culture like this, you have to be able to adapt or ... you’re not going to be in the position you want to be. ... Missoula always says ... ‘You’re not as bad as people think you are.’ ... But also I got to do the work to get better ... I’m pretty excited about being pushed into a new level.”

• John’s Assessment:

  • John notes that while Simons expressed himself awkwardly, he seems to take personal responsibility. The challenge for Simons is to demonstrate commitment on defense, or risk his minutes (and value in the new “second apron” NBA economy).
  • He reminds the audience that in Boston, with teammates like Brown and White, there’s nowhere to hide defensively. Simons’ growth—or lack thereof—will stick to his reputation.

Notable Quotes

• Simons (28:28):

  “It’s just a matter of if I want to do it or not. And ... it’s really that simple. ... I got to do the work to get better in that end and focus in on ... exactly what we need to do on the defensive end."

• John (29:22):

  “This is the stickiest quote you’re ever going to find because he will not be able to shake it whenever he gets back cut ... It’s that whole thing: 'it comes down to whether I want to or not.' Boom. Big block letters on social media, meme style.”

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Timeline of Significant Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Overview | |-----------|--------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:08 | Show theme setup, episode overview by John Karalis | | 04:55 | Jason Tatum details his Achilles recovery | | 10:10 | Joe Mazzulla on supporting Tatum through milestones | | 17:32 | Jaylen Brown explains his new attitude and personal growth | | 18:28 | Brown on finding peace, handling expectations | | 28:28 | Anthony Simons' defense comment in full context | | 29:22 | John analyzes Simons’ quote and its implications |

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Memorable Moments

- Jaylen Brown’s Refreshing Honesty:

(Brown, 18:28):

"I know who I am, I know what I’m capable of, so I’ma just shine my light and let the chips fall where they may."

- Joe Mazzulla’s Coaching Philosophy:

(Mazzulla, 10:10):

"As a guy that’s going through stuff, you have to know that, going through it together ... I was there for the first time he walked, ... ran, ... shots that he took."

- Anthony Simons’ Now-Famous Quote:

(Simons, 28:28):

"It’s just a matter of if I want to do it or not."

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Summary & Takeaways

• Jason Tatum is on track for a potentially historic quick recovery, but the coming weeks will test his patience and mental fortitude most of all. The support from his coach and teammates is central to this process.
• Jaylen Brown is entering the season with a revitalized outlook, greater self-knowledge, and a willingness to be vulnerable—an intangible that could elevate the locker room and alleviate chemistry concerns.
• Anthony Simons faces scrutiny, not just for his words, but for whether he embraces defense in Boston’s demanding system—a critical pivot point as the Celtics evaluate his long-term fit.

Tone:
Reflective, professional, analytical—John’s 20 years of experience and close access to the team shine through, with direct audio and pointed, honest commentary guiding the discussion.

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For More:

• Full player interviews and John’s additional thoughts are available at Boston Sports Journal.
• Subscribe to Locked On Celtics on your favorite podcast platform or YouTube for more day-to-day insights.

Transcript

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[John Corrales]

Terms apply. Media day Jason Tatum talks about his recovery and Joe Missoula support. We get an inside look at a more mature Jaylen Brown. And Anthony Simons drops a quote that everyone was upset about. But it's not as bad as it sounded. It's all right now on the Lockdown Celtics podcast. Huh? Yup, yup. Be ever ready. It's the seed. Who else could it be? What they gonna say now? Screaming like JT Corralis? Recap the madness every game every practice prime time Depp and D White on the sideline.

[Anthony Simons]

Rennie J's how we started raising ban.

[John Corrales]

Is how we finish Locked on Celtics pod home of the winners, baby.

[Joe Mazzulla]

Hey there.

[John Corrales]

Welcome back to the Lockdown Celtics podcast right here. Lockdown Podcast Network. Where does your team every day your team is the Boston Celtics. I talk about them every Monday through Friday, plus on the weekends whenever they play. So that means five at least free podcasts for you, maybe more during the season, during the week. So subscribe wherever you get your podcast. Again, free available Everywhere. It's on YouTube. Get into the comment section, share your thoughts with your fellow Celtics fans. Become an everydayer just like them with me on the podcast Monday through Friday and just share your opinions. I'm John Corrales, beat writer for Boston Sports Journal. I've been doing a version of this job for about 20 years now. I've written a couple of books about the team as well. And I was there at media day as part of my job for a very long, drawn out media day where just about everybody spoke. And, you know, some interesting comments here and there. There's, you know, certainly not enough to fit into this 30 minute or so podcast. But the three biggest things that I took away are going to be in here. You're going to hear the guys, you're going to hear directly from these players. So you get the full quote and you get the full kind of like context, inflection, which is going to be very important for Anthony Simons, who when you take a bit of his quote, which I tweeted out, people did not like the way that sounded and I understand why. But when you hear the full quote, I'll give it full context. I don't think it was really that bad. That's the third segment, second segment dedicated to Jalen Brown. His evolution is maturity. I use the word maturity. You'll hear me ask him the question in a follow up. It's really super interesting to me because I think it's kind of a new Jalen Brown. But we got to start obviously, I think with Jason Tatum's recovery. He's the one who spoke. Let's, let's just dive into it. Jason Tatum talking about a potential turning point in his recovery and just explaining how it's gone.

[Jayson Tatum]

You know, some this is like different phases of it. And I think, you know, the toughest part was at the beginning just kind of being in disbelief and you really just for me, I had to accept it. I think at the moment I accepted that this happened and this was going to be a part of my life and my journey. You know, I started to see a turning point, you know, but then, you know, you're on crutches and you have a scooter and a boot and, you know, then you drop one crutch and then you drop both crutches. And I think at that point, you know, things that you take for granted, you walking around and my hands are free, you know, that made me feel a little bit more normal. Getting out of the boot made all the difference. You know, the weightlifting workouts start to feel a lot more normal the last week I've been on the court, but now it's a tough spot to be in because, you know, the team is practicing tomorrow and I won't be able to be out there. So I'm certain, you know, when the season starts and I'm not out there, that'd be mentally challenging. But, you know, you just try to look for, for bright days and you know, when you can get them.

[John Corrales]

This is a really important time for Tatum because while I think, and I've said this before on the podcast, I think his recovery is going incredibly well. There's always a possibility for a setback, but as of right now, his recovery is going incredibly well. He is. I've been saying March, and then I revised it to February. I, I might be ready to revise it to, to potentially January. Having seen some additional information about what expectations are for Tatum's recovery from Achilles, let me just put this out there. A lot of people you might have this opinion of, like, why, why, why bring him back this season? Why? Why? Because he'll be ready. I honestly think that Jason Tatum, like one part of his lasting legacy will be that he was the beginning of this wave of quicker than expected Achilles returns to basketball. What used to be a year long process could be a six month process, seven month process, eight month process. He, I think could be at the forefront of, oh, wow, if you do this this way, you could be back in half the time and totally fine. So I think that is a certain possibility. But we got to understand that there are phases of the recovery, and I don't want to say any of this is easy or easy or anything like that, especially since I've never gone through an Achilles recovery. It's painful. I'm sure it's very, very difficult. But doing leg lifts, you know, double leg lifts, single, like calf raises, like, that's what I'm talking about. Those are very achievable goals, very concrete. Can you do double calf raises. Yes. Now, single calf raise. Yes. Can you do 10 of them? Can you do 15? Can you walk on your own? All of these things are very achievable goals because physically, your body is going to heal, especially when you're Jason Tatum, 27 years old, peak of your athletic existence. Of course, his body is going to heal wonderfully because his entire, like, genetic existence is geared towards, oh, yeah, we could do this, no problem. We do this in half the time it takes. You know, if it were me, easily half the time, because my body's not in the condition that Jason Tatum's not even close. But now comes a very, very difficult part. He is going to be on the court, nowhere near ready to play basketball. But now here come his teammates out there, and it's like the kid with the broken leg during snow day, looking out the window and going, oh, I want to play. And this is where the mental toughness really, really kicks in, because this is where the temptation to rush. This is where the temptation to push harder and be like, no, I look at these guys. I want to be in these drills. I want to be there. They're maybe they've won two, three games. I want to be a part of this. And you don't necessarily skip steps, but you kind of, like, glide through those steps a little quick, more quickly, like you. And this is where Tatum's support system comes in. Everybody has to be aware. You have to check them, right? This is where it's not do what Tatum says. It's, hey, buddy, no, we. We're not skipping. We're not flying through this. You got to do all of this. I think Tatum's head is there, but this is where the real temptation to not be there hits. Let's get to his support system, Joe Missoula, who was there. And here's Joe talking about the importance of being there for Tatum in all of these milestones.

[Joe Mazzulla]

I think it's your responsibility as a coach to be there for you guys. So, you know, whenever I could lift with him, whenever I could be there for treatment, whenever I could rebound for him, I think it was important to do that. You know, I think as a guy that's going through stuff, you have to know that, going through it together. And I think that's a piece that's important. So I was there for the first time he walked. I was there for the first time he ran. I was there for the first shots that he took. So I think it's important, you know, when you try to do that for Everybody. I think one of the things in the offseason that I like to do is, you know, build different relationships with the guys and do different things. So each guy has their own way about how you go about doing that. This summer, that was a way to build a relationship with him. And, you know, it was different for everybody throughout the summer. You know, Chris got baptized this year. Got to go to that. I thought that was really important and just a lot of other, you know, things throughout the off season.

[John Corrales]

So that's. That's Joe kind of being what makes him part partly what makes him a really good NBA head coach. It's about relationships and building those relationships and doing different things. I mean, he's been, you know, you hear the stories. He went to Colorado to, you know, work out with Derrick White and hang out with his family, Utah for Namishkada, Utah State type of thing. He's been around everywhere, and now he's been there for Jason Tatum's recovery. Talking about lifting with him, going in there, doing the part of the recovery with him. This is so incredibly important because he's going to need Jason Tatum to play maybe a little bit of a different style, play a little bit more uptempo than he's used to, play a more kind of, like, quicker game, and look for cutters, be a cutter sometimes stuff that maybe Tatum isn't used to and doesn't normally like to do, but that's the style of Celtics you're going to play. And when it comes time for Tatum to ever come back here, Joe's going to be like, hey, buddy, we need you to do this. We were successful this way. If you can. If you can be you with this style, supercharged. And I think Tatum's going to do that. Tatum's going to do what Joe wants him to do, because Joe is there. He's. He's proven, I'm here for you. You got to be here for me. And I think that's what building a relationship is all about. So I think everybody helping Tatum avoid the temptation of speeding up during this training camp, super, super important. Joe's relationship with Tatum and getting Tatum to come around to this kind of revised style, going to be incredibly important as well. So that's the Jason Tatum portion. Let's get to the Jalen Brown portion. His evolution. I am really. Am I. Do I need to be checked on my attitude after hearing Jalen Brown? Because I am super pumped about the. The vibe that I'm getting from Jalen Brown. You'll hear what he has to say next. Today's show is brought to you by FanDuel. If you're a new customer over at FanDuel, you can bet five bucks and you, if you win, will get 300 in bonus bets. So pick a bet, whatever bet it is, make it the easiest bet that you can find, win, get, you know, a couple bucks out of it, and then you really get the big win 300 in bonus bets and that you can use across the app. You can build a same game parlay. You can try player props. You can do live lines during games, right? There's a lot of times where a team unexpectedly goes up 20 and the line changes and you're like, that's not going to last. And you can bet a live line and maybe that's a way to kind of feel out the game first. You don't have to just dive into it cold. You can feel the game out and then bet a live line. So whether you're a casual fan or if you love diving into the stats, FanDuel makes a game day experience really a lot better. So go check it [e-mail] when you sign up. It'll ask you to set your limit, set your budget. Only bet what you're allowed, what you're what you can afford to lose or allowed to lose maybe. So make sure you're gambling responsibly over at FanDuel. Download the FanDuel app today and get started.

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[John Corrales]

For making Lockdown Celtics your first listen every day. That's the Lockdown Celtics logo for the people on YouTube because I don't know how to press buttons anymore. Thank you for making Lockdown Celtics your first listen. Check out Locked on NBA, which I'm hosting Locked NBA game night on Wednesdays this season with Jake Madison of Lockdown Pelicans. It's gonna be a fun season when the games start. Game night covers all the games seven days a week, five days a week. Lockdown NBA in the afternoons gets you more of a debate style kind of podcast. So check that out wherever you get your podcast. Let's get to Jaylen Brown who, you know, if you've paid attention to Jaylen, he, I think he's been putting himself more out there the, the Twitch stream. He was, he was streaming all day. I, I got the peak a little bit and he was giving some behind the scenes stuff. Yeah, I think the good thing about the part at least that I saw, you really got a good sense of a lot of the minutia that these guys have to go through on media day. Like talking to people like me is only part of it and I know they're probably going to get real sick of talking to me as the season goes on. But all of the jumbotron bits, the little, hey, what's your favorite Halloween candy? Oh, what, what kind of music is your least favorite? Like all that kind of stuff, those little things that you see on the jumbotron, they do it all, almost all of it on media day. They have like a second day during the season where they go back in and do a lot more. But they get a ton done on this on this day. But Jalen's putting himself out there. Something that I noticed and I had to ask him about it. Listen, his answer I think is really, really good. You seem to be putting yourself out there a little bit more. You're doing your, your streaming, you're doing a lot more, a little bit more visible than before. Is that part of a kind of like a new, a new attitude, a new phase, a new approach? What, what's, what's all that?

[Jalen Brown]

I think I would say that, I would say that a lot of times I've felt like I had to operate a certain way in order to kind of protect my, myself and you know, it was kind of the way that I feel like I had to be in order not to like lose my mind a little bit But I feel like I've gotten to a point in my life where I'm at peace and I feel like I can express more of myself to the world in a sense where I just haven't opened up at all over the last five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten years. So just starting that journey I started maybe a year ago, you know, doing some different things, designing, you know, just expressing myself more creatively, but, you know, more so showing the world who Jaylen Brown really is.

[John Corrales]

Would you call that, like, just a different level? I'm gonna say the word maturity. Not that you were immature before, but, like, is there a different level of maturity there?

[Jalen Brown]

I think, yeah, I think it's just a different level of peace that I've been able to reach, you know, internally, where at times I would struggle with the dynamic between certain things, maneuvering through certain spaces, dealing with the media, dealing with the expectations, and dealing with, you know, the. The pressure that kind of comes with being in a position that you're in. So I had to, like, close myself off so I could not lose my mind a little bit. But I'm at the point now where I feel like, you know, I don't care. The, you know, all the pressure, all the expectations, all that stuff is real, but I don't need to put anything extra on, on myself at all. You know, I know who I am, I know what I'm capable of, so I' ma just shine my light and let the chips fall where they may.

[John Corrales]

I love, love, love that answer. I love that answer. So I think when it comes to our growth, just as human beings, we go through a phase as children where we have, like, you talk about zero Fs, given, like, zero. I do not care. I am a child. I'm going to run around, I'm going to flail my arms, I'm going to say whatever I want and do whatever I want. I don't care. Because I'm a child. I have a niece and a nephew, both very young, and that's kind of, you know, kind of their vibe, right? They just. I'm going to go over here now and I'm going to throw this rock or I'm going to say something embarrassing, and I don't care what the ramifications are. And then there's a point in your tweens, into your teen years and then into your 20s where you really start to care. You care a lot about what people think, and it starts to shape your insecurities, and you're like, oh, my God, am I popular? Am I, does, does this person like me? Does you know, am I, you know, do I, am I, am I good looking enough? Am I, you know, smart enough? All of those insecurities creep in. And then there's the key is starting to eliminate all of those as you get older and realize that you know what, it doesn't matter a lot. There's so much less that matters in life than what you really think. Like, you could take all of the things you put them on down on paper and list these are all the things that matter. Chances are you can cross off like 90 of that and 10 of that is really all that matters. If you can get yourself down to only caring about that, you're in a good spot. And I kind of think that's where Jalen is going to. I think he's crossed a lot of stuff off that list. And it's a, it's a freeing place, it's a comfortable place and it's very difficult to get there. But if you can, then you're, you really are free to live a life of like you, zero expectations. You only care about a few. You know that your, your, your inner circle. There's a level of people that are on your periphery. You're like, ah, whatever. Doesn't matter necessarily. And you start to whittle away at these insecurities and these things and man, it is so great there. It is so great. Jalen getting there because when I tell you I, I believe every word that he said because at the beginning where he's like, yeah, there was a time in my life where I did care and I did put, I was like, yeah, buddy, I know. Oh, do I know? Because I saw it. I saw it on the floor. I can see when you fell asleep on the floor, but it wasn't even fall asleep. It was just staring into the abyss. And I could hear the grinding gears in the head going, okay, I made that mistake. I can't make this other mistake. And then that's invariably where you get burned back door. And you know, those things start to go away. And I think heading into this season. And he had a great answer. I don't have time to play it. But in a great answer. Similarly, about people thinking the number one option thing is overrated, you know, like, or, or too important. He's like, it's kind of, he kind of said it's overrated. And you know, it's, it's not, it's not the driving force that I even, I like this summer thought that it would be. I Don't know if his opinion is going to change. I don't know if this was something. Look, if he is not sincere, then I'm gonna ask him what acting classes he took over the summer because I believe him. I honestly believe that answer lock, stock and bear, I think is absolutely true. And that changes my mind about the stuff that I was saying. You remember, if you're listening, if you're an everyday or you listen, you say, oh, yeah, John, aren't you the one that said there's a world where he thrives as the number one? And at the end of the season, he asks for a trade to go be a number one somewhere? And yeah, 100% I said that. I'm. I'm pulling back on that now because Jaylen said this. And if this is where he is mentally, I'm less afraid of that, I think. And I'm not saying he doesn't still ask for a trade or anything like that. I don't know how this season's gonna go. Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't. Like, you can't predict necessarily. But I can tell you that hearing him talk, I'm. I'm less inclined to think he's. He's a flight risk in that manner. So I. All I can say is kudos to Jalen for this. I think incredible. I did use the word maturity. I think it is another level of maturity. It's growth. I think it's personal growth. That level of peace that he's talking about is maturity to understand how to achieve that piece. So I, I come away from this meeting day most impressed by Jalen Brown because, like, wow, man, that's. That is an incredible place to be mentally, if that's where he stays mentally all season long. Wow. I. I'm expecting, like, big things. And, oh, by the way, the wrist thing that I talked about yesterday, he said it's not a big. He was just like using his left hand. So I don't know. That's where Jalen just being Jalen. All right, now, Anthony Simons said something about him playing defense or not playing defense that really upset a lot of people on social media. I'm going to play his entire quote. It's not as bad as it seemed. That is next. Today's show is brought to you by Monarch Money. Look, a lot of people don't have the full financial grasp, right? They. They have accounts and. And maybe you've forgotten. Oh, I've got a. You know, this, like. Oh, I forgot that this, this 401k from this other job that was only out for a few years or, or whatever like Monarch Money can kind of help you take control of all of that. If you're struggling to keep control and, you know, because you're busy, Monarch Money is going to be an all in one personal finance tool. It kind of puts everything together in a clean, easy to use interface. Use it on your phone, you can use it on your laptop. 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[John Corrales]

Hey, thanks for making Lockdown Celtics your first listen every day. Do appreciate you being in every day of being here five days a week. The show is free, available everywhere and it's on YouTube. You're watching now already. But if you're looking to subscribe, you get all this content. I'm there at all the practices. I'm not. I'm at the games inside stuff that hopefully you're not going to get anywhere else. More free podcasting. You're going to get anywhere. So I was there for Anthony Simons. I asked him, look, we all know what Anthony Simons can be. Tom Westerholm's big Anthony Simons guy. He's talked him up a lot We've, I, I think there's a world where Anthony can stick around here, but he's gonna have to play some defense. And that being the big storyline with him. I asked him about it. Obviously, everybody knows you as an elite scorer. One of the criticisms about you is defensively on that side of the ball. What have you spoken to Joe about when it comes to that? The Celtics are a defensive minded team. And what do you think you can bring on that end?

[Anthony Simons]

Yeah, we've talked about it and, you know, it's just a matter of, you know, if I want to do it or not. And I mean, it's just, it's, it's really that simple. You know, like I said, coming into a culture like this, you have to be able to adapt or, you know, it's not gonna, you're not gonna be, you know, in the position that you want to be and whether it's playing or not playing. So to me, it's really that simple. And that's the, you know, the honest conversations we had about it. And he always says that, you know, you're not, you know, as bad as people think you are. And so that's good to hear. But also I got to do the work to get better in that end and focus in on, you know, exactly what we need to do on the defensive end. And so, like I said, I'm pretty excited about being pushed into, you know, a new level of which I can reach.

[John Corrales]

So the first part of that quote is not good. It comes down to whether I want to do it or not. It's that simple. Is not the, the setup that I think he had hoped to put out there, because I think when you listen to the entire quotes, he is, he is saying that in a, a way that's taking personal responsibility. He is taking ownership of the fact that he hasn't really wanted to in the past, which that doesn't make it any easier for people in Portland because if I'm a Blazers fan and I'm hearing that, I'm like, well, we wouldn't have wanted you traded if you wanted to play defense. And that is a fair reaction. So Blazers fans who just get pissed off just like, there's nothing I can say to like, to change a Blazers fan. Absolutely not. Like, if I'm coming at this from the Portland perspective, I'd be like, well, what the hell, man? Like, you could have been, you could have been part of Portland's plan moving forward. Now from a Boston perspective, he could be part of the Celtics plan moving forward. Or he could be the part that helps the Celtics get the guy that they're going to move forward with. But just an ability to play defense, it has to be part of it. So I think what he's saying is, it's up to me. Like my translation of that to normal, everyday conversational English and not basketball double speak is, yeah, I just got to do it. And, you know, it's up to me to go out there and prove it. And I know that Missoula is going to push him. I know that Jalen Brown is going to push him. I know that Derrick White is going to push him. They're going to tell him, we need you to play defense. If they are in a film session and Anthony Simons is standing there and getting back cut, they're gonna, they're gonna say, look, look, you can't, you can't be this, you can't be this guy because we can't put you on the floor, especially in crunch time situations and have you be this guy defensively. So the choice is yours. In fact, Anthony Hardaway. Anthony Simons. Have I been saying Hardaway? Anthony Simons, the choice is yours. It's up to you. I think he was saying that, but saying it very poorly now. Will he, will he be that guy? I don't know, but he understands it. When I asked him about the defense before I, even as soon as I said the word defense, he's like, yep, he knows we all know we're not stupid. He's not stupid. So when it comes to that, he is going to have to put in the effort. He is going to have to want to. If he's going to get to another level, if he's going to get to a level where Brad Stevens goes, I wonder if, I wonder if he's the guy that we keep and changes, you know, direction somebody else or if it makes another team go, huh, maybe he's our missing piece. He's going to be our cornerstone. We're going to be the team that pays him and we'll give the Celtics the big that they're looking for in exchange. Because this guy, with this effort, with that defense, he can be the guy for sure. So all he needs to be is like halfway decent. Like you just. He can't be the guy that you obviously pick on when it's a back and forth game at the end of the fourth quarter and it's just like, oh, well, where's Anthony's guy? Pick and roll with him and just, just torch him. Can't be that guy. Because you're just not going to get on the floor in those situations. If you can't get on the floor in those situations, guess what? You're not making $30 million a year, not making $20 million a year. You're making less. Because this is the second apron era. This isn't like the, you know, 10 years ago where it's like, hey, I don't care if he doesn't play defense. He can score like crazy. And, you know, we got an owner that will pay the luxury tax, so who cares? Those days are gone. I hope he and his agent understand that those days are gone. Like, I asked Brad Stevens about finding these diamonds in the rough, and I said, it's the second apron error. You can't miss. And he said, can't miss on the big contracts. He specified that Anthony Simon's looking for a big contract. Everybody understands you can't miss on a big contract like that. So if Anthony Simon's gonna go out there and be like, I don't feel like playing defense today, then guess what? That's a million dollars less than you get paid this summer. Right? Like, that's how he's got to look at it. Every time you don't put the effort in on defense, that's money coming out of your pocket. Oh, that's another million. That's another 500,000. That's another 750,000 down the tubes. Play the flushing sound. Nope, there he goes. Back cut again. Another 500,000. Bye. Teams are not going to want to pay you that money. So, yes, it sounded bad. And. And honestly, this is the stickiest quote you're ever going to find because he will not be able to shake it whenever he gets back cut. It's that whole thing. It comes down to whether I want to or not. It's that simple. Boom. Big block letters on social media, meme style. Boom. Anthony Simons, back cut. Anthony Simons gets stuck on a screen. That headline. Boom. It's just gonna be relentless. It's going to stick to him. It's gonna be like that little piece of cellophane. When you're unwrapping something, it sticks to your hand. You do this, and it sticks to this part of your hand. You're like, God, why does this thing keep sticking to me? Can't shake it. That's what he's gonna face if he doesn't play defense. That headline, maybe it's a good thing. Maybe him saying it that poorly is a good thing because he's gonna get burned and that thing's gonna make the rounds, and he's gonna be like, God, I don't want to. I don't want to be around that. So you get two choices. Either you just, like, lean into it and never play defense again or be like, I don't want to be embarrassed. I'm gonna play some defense. And on this team with Missoula and Tatum and Brown and all those guys like Derek White and Peyton Pritchard, they're all gonna be like, buddy, hey, play some defense. You're not quitting on us because we're not quitting on you. So poorly said, but hopefully there'll be a positive ending to that. A lot more from Media Day is available on Boston Sports Journal, where I wrote up my reactions to a lot more, including Peyton Pritchard, Sam Houser. A lot of guys talked, so lots of that stuff is out there. Celtics practice every day this week, except for Thursday as of right now. So inside stuff. I will be there at the practice facility. I'll be on the floor. I'll be watching these guys. So I'll be your eyes and ears and bringing you free podcasting, talking about everything that's happening, everything the guys are saying, everything that, that they're doing on the floor that I can report, it's all going to be here. So make sure you're subscribed to this show. It's available everywhere. It's free. It's on YouTube. Get into the comments section. Share your thoughts about all the stuff that I've played you here today. Let me know what you think and then I'd love it if you share the podcast. Spread the word. Tell everybody you should be listening to and watching the Lockdown Celtics podcast here on the Lockdown Podcast. Network your team every day. The day begins at the Chase Sapphire Lounge by the club at Boston Logan Airport. You get the clam chowder. In San Diego, it's Tostadas New York Espresso Martini. It's 10:00am why not? It's the quiet before your next flight. The shower that resets your day, the.

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