Picks 'n Pops: Insurmountable deals, doctoring championship history, and an embarrassing dad

Every week I gather some thoughts about the Celtics, the NBA, and beyond and dump them here. Because unlike Stephen A. Smith, I haven't been caught playing solitaire when I should be watching an NBA game.

- The Pacers are a win away from the NBA championship. I’ve been one of the biggest non-Indiana believers in the Pacers and even I’m blown away by this. 

- I hope the Game 7 brings more people to the TV because a lot of people have missed a GREAT NBA Finals. Even if the ratings aren’t great, the discussion around the Finals is exactly what the NBA needed. People who proudly didn’t watch should be kicking themselves because they’ve missed a lot of fun basketball.

- Shams Charania: “I’m sure teams are throwing crazy offers for guys like Jaylen Brown and Derrick White, but it’ll take a pretty insurmountable package to get those guys out of Boston.”

There might be a no-brainer deal out there for Boston, but I don’t see any team giving it up right now. I remain steadfast in my belief that if anything happens for one of these guys, it will be at the trade deadline at the earliest. 

- According to Bobby Marks, Derrick White has more trade value than Jaylen Brown, but that's because White’s contract is so good. He fits any team.

- I get a kick out of how many people pretend to have sources this time of year. 

- The Kevin Durant trade talks are getting interesting. His contract is hard to match, and no one knows how much he has left. Any year can be the year his production drops at this point. 

- I hope Marcus Smart goes somewhere that fits. 

- Sam Amick of The Athletic says Jrue Holiday’s age is a stumbling block in potential trades. Just wait until he hits 50 and his age is a stumbling block for everything in life. 

- The Thunder looked like a team content to take the Finals back home for a Game 7 last night. That's a very dangerous game because they're one turned ankle away from having that bite them hard. 

- I want to the NBA to pick a lane when it comes to relocated teams claiming the history of the city they left. The OKC Thunder are playing for their first championship, which is widely acknowledged by everyone, including the franchise. They do not claim the Sonics 1979 championship. 

The Lakers, however, claim five Minnesota championships, including one from the NBL and one from the BAA, two precursors to the NBA. So, not only do the Lakers claim titles from a previous city, they claim titles from a previous league. 

Just like the rest of Los Angeles, you have to do some good doctoring to make yourself look good. 

- Lakers fans are celebrating that a billionaire paid more for their franchise than a different billionaire paid for the Celtics, which shows fans will celebrate anything they can when a championship isn’t on the table. 

- The Red Sox apparently thought the second apron applied to them, too. 

- The more I hear about how the Red Sox operate, the more it’s clear that franchise needs a complete reset. 

- Congrats to Phil Pressey for being named head coach of the Maine Celtics. This move was in the works during the playoffs when Pressey was sitting in on Mazzulla’s pregame press conferences, trying to get a sense of how things worked. 

Coaching in the minor leagues is a tough gig. You have to follow someone else’s plan to get the players ready for the next level, you never know which guys will be there or not be there on a given day, and the travel is maybe 30% of what you’re used to with the big club. These guys put in their dues. 

- The Patriots visited the Celtics' practice facility this week. 

I love when pro athletes in one sport get reduced to childlike fans when they go visit other pro teams. I especially like the reminder that they are really just humans with exceptional genetic traits and skills to do one thing better than most other people in the world. Outside of that, they are basically like the rest of us, rooting for other sports and mesmerized by the process of these other pro athletes. 

- Congratulations Ime Udoka for becoming one of the highest-paid coaches in the league. 

- I do expect an extension to be worked out with Joe Mazzulla after the Celtics are done crafting their roster. 

- I crap on fake trades but there are some kids getting paid to play on trade machines all day and then write about whatever silly thing worked within the financial rules. There are worse ways to make money. 

- I declare a moratorium on Giannis Antetokounmpo trade ideas. Mostly because I’m sick of people ignoring the fact that he just said he’s staying and that he wants to play his whole career in Milwaukee. And I know guys say that all the time, but Giannis says it in a way that I believe it. Maybe I just want to see it happen somewhere one more time because I know it’s a concept probably going extinct. 

Or maybe I’m just ignoring the universal rule that Greeks are never to be trusted. 

- I’m very happy that Tyrese Haliburton came out of Game 6 in one piece. 

- James Johnson getting in for garbage time and almost immediately getting ejected is amazing and deserves a lot more attention than it will get.

- The story of Scot Pollard’s heart transplant is amazing. It is truly inspirational and the spirit of giving even in the time of tragedy, to save someone else is, to me, what humanity is about. 

- Go ahead and tell me that no one likes the WNBA

- TJ McConnel’s dad crashing his post-Game 6 interview is hilarious. 

I can feel McConnel’s pain. Here he is, a massive reason why his team is one win away from the title, and Dad is talking about missed free throws and his sister’s undefeated state championship. Just pure father/son stuff right there. 

- Congrats Brad Marchand on winning the Stanley Cup. I do not acknowledge any further details. 

- This week’s AI-generated image: It’s a great time to buy into the NBA. 

- The Pacers are a win away from the NBA title and Caitlin Clark is back from injury looking to lead the Fever to the title this year. Basketball fans in Indiana basketball fans are having the Best Week Ever!

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