Picks 'n Pops: Shifting perspective on Kristaps Porzingis, Larry Bird's retirement, & art collecting

Every week, I gather some thoughts on the Celtics, the NBA, and beyond and dump them here. Yeah I did one on Monday but other stuff happened. Let me live. 

- Maybe I’m looking at the Kristaps Porzingis trade the wrong way. 

Maybe it’s less an indictment on Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown’s ability to carry the team and more a function of trying to find a better fit for Joe Mazzulla’s system. 

The Celtics are leaning way into Mazzulla ball. I’m as pro-Marcus Smart as almost anyone, but even I could see that starting the offense with a non-point guard and asking that point guard to spot up meant Smart was taken away from what made him most effective. 

Derrick White and Porzingis getting the Smart/Grant Williams reps just fits better. I’m not the biggest fan of playing that style, but if they're going to play that style, then they need to have the right players. 

- Mark Jones is too smart to fall for this again. 

I mean, I guess you can’t rule anything out, but I’m not falling for the banana in the tailpipe. Every player is shredded at this time of year. Sweaty, shirtless photos with decent lighting are an August NBA tradition.

- Larry Bird announced his retirement on this day in 1992, a mere 31 years ago. Tough day for 19-year-old me to handle. 

I have two thoughts when it comes to Bird nowadays: First, I’m glad that he wasn’t around for social media because he would have been roasted. And second, social media has warped people’s perspective so much that they think Bird couldn't play today. 

Bird would dominate in today’s game. Not only did he have the exact skills necessary to dominate in any era, he would have been amazing with the modern medical technology to help him heal faster. 

Also, he would have been too rich to landscape his mother’s driveway and he would have paid someone else to do it. Maybe his back would have lasted longer. 

But also, if Bird played in the Twitter era, then he would have been crushed for things like breaking his hand in a bar fight ahead of the 1985 NBA Finals. 

I love Larry Bird. He’s in the Hall of Fame’s Hall of Fame. Few could do what he did as well as he could do it. I’m glad he did it when he did it, but it’s too bad this generation of NBA fans can’t fully appreciate it. 

- Speaking of Bird's era, the folks behind HBO’s Winning Time are really throwing this next season in Boston’s face. 

They're leaning heavily into the rivalry, so I get the ad blitz, but I’m surprised some of that signage has survived this long. 

- The Brooklyn Nets ripped off the Tennessee Titans for their schedule release and I don’t care, it's still hilarious.

- I’m not sure anything official has been announced, but I don’t think it’s a secret that Sean Grande will succeed Mike Gorman on TV. 

The big question is who is getting the radio duties. 

- I have no idea what response Ime Udoka will get when he returns with Houston. 

- James Harden says Chinese fans deserve to see him play more because of the love they’ve shown him. I say he should follow through, leave the NBA, and go finish his career soaking up the love he cares most about. If your insecurities are that strong and you’re not choosing therapy, then go choose the place that placates you.

- The Bahamas national team, with DeAndre Ayton, Buddy Hield, and Eric Gordon, isn't exactly a powerhouse, but it’s no joke. They have a chance to get into the Olympic qualifying tournaments next summer. 

- I’m sorry, did they say you bet a BILLION dollars, Phil Mickelson? How?

- Jaylen Brown is exploring the world of art collecting, and using art as an investment vehicle. 

“A good amount of our players are current art collectors,” Brown told SLAM magazine. “I’m currently growing my art collection and looking forward to learning more about art and all its capacities. As I learn and grow, I plan on sharing that learning process with the world, as well as my NBA counterparts.”

It’s an interesting look into Brown’s mind. He’s clearly interested in non-traditional methods of fostering and building wealth among NBA players. It’s not just about making money off basketball. He’s trying to find ways to grow his money so it lasts him and his family for generations. 

- I’m still holding onto my Orlando Magic stock. Paulo Banchero is going to be a superstar.