Picks 'n Pops: 'World Champions' challenged, curious decisions, and the Louvre

Every week I gather some thoughts about the Celtics, the NBA, and beyond and dump them here. Because I'm the only one not affected by the global tech outage. 

- Whether it was planned or by sheer luck, Jaylen Brown showing up at summer league and talking to the media to say his Olympic beef is with Nike and only Nike was really smart. He said he called Derrick White to congratulate him and make sure there were no misinterpretations, so that's the end of that story. 

"I called Derrick right away. Just to make sure there's no confusion, my love for you and all of that. He knew that. Me and D-White are good,” he said.

Brown should have included a congratulations to White when he tweeted his displeasure with being left off the Olympic team. Not doing so made him look bad and it gave Stephen A. Smith a chance to scream he was right about Brown not being likable. But his comments in Vegas mean that this story won’t linger. 

- When Kawhi Leonard pulled out of the Olympics, the official statement was from Team USA and the Clippers. Now Lawrence Frank is saying the Clippers are disappointed with the decision and Kawhi looked good. 

Sounds like Leonard isn’t happy about how things went down and they're in damage control. After losing Paul George for nothing this offseason and now this, I’m watching the Clippers pretty closely to see how things progress. 

- Joe Mazzulla, to the Globe, on enjoying a championship: 

“I’ve been asking myself and my family, what does enjoy it mean? To me, enjoy it doesn’t mean get completely wasted for a week and just run your mind and your body until you’re dead. That’s not enjoying it to me.”

We definitely have different definitions of “enjoy it,” then. 

- Panathinaikos won the Euroleague championship, and their head coach took the opportunity to take a jab at the Celtics. To paraphrase, he said if the Celtics wanted to be called “world champions” they needed to beat his team first. 

On one hand, it’s funny to see someone screaming at the schoolyard bully from the other side of the playground when his backup is Juancho Hernangomez and Kendrick Nunn. On the other hand, his backup is Juancho Hernangomez and Kendrick Nunn. 

The Celtics can say they're world champs because the NBA is best professional league in the world by a mile. There is not a single professional team that can hold a candle to any NBA champion. 

And we’re not talking about countries or national teams. That's what the Olympics are for. I’m not arguing Celtics vs. France … though Boston would win that too. I’m arguing pro team vs. pro team.  

- The Denver Nuggets lost Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and added Russell Westbrook. They're the only team that is actively giving up shooting to add non-shooters around its stars. 

- Brad Stevens: “We have to be mindful of, with the last roster spot, what our needs might be. Oshae (Brissett) had a terrific year with us… in his shoes, there might be the desire to play more, too. I always want to be respectful of that.”

They always said that Stevens looks like Pete Buttigieg, but he sounds like a politician now, too. Brissett isn’t coming back.

- James Dolan, who makes his ridiculous fortune off Madison Square Garden and the MSG regional sports network, penned a manifesto against the new NBA media rights deal because it is moving the league away from the regional sports model. 

This is like the CEO of Sears complaining that people are getting away from the in-store shopping experience. Face facts and pivot, or we’ll see a for sale sign on the front of the Sphere in Vegas (yes, he owns that). 

- A current, anonymous Celtic, to the Sun, about Kendrick Perkins:

“I am not the kind of guy who has hate towards people, but Kendrick is someone that I don’t respect. I don’t know if people here are going to forgive him, but I really think that he won’t be welcome as a Celtic anymore."

Perk has gained fame and notoriety as one of the guys who will say anything on TV, no matter how inflammatory. But that comes with a cost. 

I’m not saying you always have to be nice. I’m saying you always have to be real. People respect honesty, but they don’t respect the unfair shots people like Perk take all the time. It has made Perkins some money, but it cost him in other places, including within the organization. 

- I hated “Entourage.”

- Congratulations to Jarren Duran.

- Jaylen Brown’s three-bedroom seaport penthouse is on the market for $4.75 million dollars. So everyone go buy my book … and if you could buy, like, 30 copies of it, that would be great. 

- Is there a bigger Celtics fan than Nick Kyrgios? He was part of the Wimbledon coverage and he wore Celtics championship gear while he was doing it.

- Jaylen Brown was caught on camera saying he doesn’t think Bronny James is a pro. I think he’s right. 

- Jordan Walsh needs to relax and get back to basics. Forget the setting, forget trying to prove something, and just go play basketball. 

- Joel Embiid does not fit on Team USA.

- Hang this Jrue Holiday pass to Steph Curry in the Louvre 

Speaking of the Louvre, this week’s Bing AI-created image takes us inside, but with, you know, good paintings: 

- Here’s my latest podcast, if you’re bored: