Locked On Celtics – Episode Summary

Episode Title: Why DON'T Celtics play as FAST as promised? | MOVE Pritchard to bench? | Big man targets
Date: November 21, 2025
Host: John Karalis

Episode Overview

In this mailbag episode, John Karalis addresses pressing questions from Celtics fans on three central topics:

1. Why the Celtics aren’t playing as fast as promised before the season
2. Whether Peyton Pritchard should move to the bench in favor of Anfernee Simons
3. Who the Celtics might target as their next big man via trade

Karalis also wraps up with broader NBA surprises after the first month and reflects on the Celtics’ priorities as the season unfolds.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Aren’t the Celtics Playing Faster Pace?

(Main segment: 02:16–16:42)

• Expectation vs. Reality:
  Fans were told to expect the Celtics to play much faster this year, but as of now “they're last in pace.” Karalis emphasizes that this isn’t a matter of deception, but more of realities setting in – with multiple factors limiting the possible increase in tempo.
• Training Camp Hype:
  “Training camp was all about running up and down the floor... Joe really pushed these guys hard. Everybody to a man was like, this is a very difficult training camp. And that’s all true.” – John Karalis (04:01)
• Rebounding Is Crucial:
  The team can’t run in transition if they don’t secure defensive rebounds consistently.
  • “You need to rebound. [...] That’s part of the problem. You’re not clearing away rebounds when you get some of those stops. So that holds them back.” (04:39)
• Transition vs. Halfcourt Sets:
  Celtics do increase transition opportunities off turnovers, but can’t force turnovers every play. In halfcourt, more intricate sets take longer to run.
  • “They have been running a lot more intricate sets... it’s taking 15 to 20 seconds to get some of these sets.” (07:36)
• Comparing to Past Rosters:
  They have less offensive talent this year; opposing teams can help off certain players, making offense more difficult.
• Context of League-Wide Pace:
  The league overall is faster, so the Celtics look even slower in comparison.
  • “The whole league is playing fast, so... they don’t look like they’re playing as fast relative to everybody else.” (09:01)
• Resetting Expectations:
  “It’s not about playing fast in terms of running up and down the floor in like seven seconds or less type of offense... They are a different team.” (11:20)
  Celtics remain a top-10 offense; improvement in rebounding would naturally increase their pace.

Key takeaways:

• The vision of a “run and gun” Celtics team was overblown—varied factors from rebounding to roster changes and league trends mean their style is simply more intricate and less about pure speed.
• Improving rebounding is the best path to playing faster, not a wholesale system overhaul.

2. Mailbag: Trade Target for a Big Man

(Segment: 16:47–21:46)

• Fan Question: Could the Celtics acquire Ivica Zubac if the Clippers implode and rebuild?
• Karalis’ Response:
  • “There’s always a way if two teams are motivated… But there are obstacles.”
  • Matching salary is difficult (Zubac at $18M), and Clippers may want more enticing assets than the Celtics can offer directly.
  • Suggests a three- or four-team deal—where Celtics are facilitators, not the main trade partner—is more likely.
  • Possible alternative: Santi Aldama from Memphis (“He’s 24, he can shoot a bit. Does he move the needle a ton? I don’t know...”), acquired through complex multi-team trades.

Notable quote:
“We aren’t going to get the prime big that every team wants in a straight-up deal. Celtics are more likely to land an ancillary piece by helping facilitate a bigger deal.” (20:36)

3. Mailbag: Should Pritchard Move to the Bench for Anfernee Simons?

(Segment: 21:46–24:31)

• Current Narratives & Timing:
  When Pritchard was struggling, moving him would have damaged his confidence and role. Now, as he improves, a rotation change could be made more smoothly.
• Strategic Approach:
  • “Let Pritchard just re-establish himself… Let him erase all that ‘he’s not a starter’ talk. And then we can make this switch.” (22:59)
  • Views Simons as more comfortable starting; Pritchard thrives as sixth man.
  • When Pritchard feels established, shifting him to the bench becomes a positive basketball move rather than a demotion.
  • “Pritchard comes off as the hero a little bit, because he’ll go back to his starting role, even though that might be a role where he’s even better.” (23:30)

Summary: A future shake-up makes sense, but the timing should be right to protect roles, confidence, and overall team dynamics.

4. NBA Surprises — Who’s Impressing and Who’s Disappointing?

(Segment: 27:16–32:53)

• Biggest Positive Surprise:
  “Obviously the biggest surprise is the Detroit Pistons at the top of the league. They are incredible. I just… I thought they’d be good but 13-2 didn’t expect that.” (29:40)
• Other Surprises:
  • Toronto Raptors (10-5) performing better than anticipated
  • Spurs’ strong start despite Wemby’s injury (“I didn’t think they’d be this good already. But that’s Wemby for you.” 31:33)
• Disappointments:
  • Clippers at the bottom
  • Pelicans (2-13), Orlando struggling offensively
• Expectations:
  Believes current extremes will “even out” with the season; expects the Suns to fall back and the Clippers to rise somewhat.

5. Reflections on the Importance of Wins This Season

(Segment: 27:16–28:55)

• Experimentation vs. Results:
  While the season is partly about experimenting and finding which players help the team win, victories do matter—this isn’t a tanking team.
  • “The wins matter… We want to see who helps the team win… The losses aren’t killers, but look, we want to see them win, right? If they win, it’s fun.” (28:40)

6. Porzingis’ Future

• On bringing KP (Kristaps Porzingis) back:
  “If he comes back on a cheap deal… Sure. But I’m not paying him a lot of money anymore. Once a guy’s gone, he’s gone.” (29:18)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “They told us before the season that they’d be running all the time, but they’re last in pace. Why did they lie to us, Dave? They didn’t lie to us. They’re just not—it doesn’t look the way we thought it would.” – John Karalis (03:08)
• “We need to be the ones, I think, to reset our expectations.” (12:41)
• “Let Pritchard really come around… and once that happens, then we can go, we can make this switch.” (23:15)
• “To get Zubac from the Clippers, you’re going to have to give up multiple first-round picks and multiple young players and you’re going to have to match the salary…” (18:52)
• “We want to see who helps the team win... you still need to be kind of paying attention to the wins, but I think there's potential for figuring things out.” (28:25)

Important Timestamps

• 02:16 – Show opens, introduction and first mailbag: Celtics’ pace problem
• 04:01–11:20 – Training camp/expectations, rebounding and halfcourt offense analysis
• 16:47 – Trade target for big man: Zubac, Aldama, multi-team deals
• 21:46 – Should Pritchard return to the bench? Simons as starter?
• 27:16 – Wider NBA surprises and discussion of the importance of wins
• 29:40 – Detroit Pistons as biggest positive surprise
• 31:33 – Spurs, Pelicans, Suns, and overall Western Conference outlook

Tone & Style

Karalis maintains his signature mix of expertise, candor, and humor. He’s honest about struggles, optimistic about player adjustments, and balances fandom with realistic team assessment. He invites thoughtful dialogue (“hop in the comments!”) and keeps the conversation accessible for devoted and casual Celtics listeners alike.

Final Thoughts

This episode is rich in insider context, practical analysis, and honest fan engagement. Key takeaways center on recalibrating expectations for the Celtics’ play style, recognizing the complexity in possible trades, and focusing criticism and hope where it’s warranted. If you want a nuanced, up-the-middle assessment of where the Celtics are (and where they might go), Karalis delivers.