NBA Notebook: Celtics media literacy, LeBron James' future, and an NBA Finals look-ahead

Despite being eliminated from the playoffs for nearly two weeks now, the Boston Celtics have remained in the headlines. Most recently, Jaylen Brown’s appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show aired.

Brown faced some pushback from social media. It was similar to the discourse that began after he streamed on Twitch just one day after the Celtics’ Game 7 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

A video of him dancing while walking down Hudson’s now-famous pre-show tunnel quickly circulated, with fans questioning why he looked so happy after the Celtics blew a 3-1 lead to the 76ers in the first round.

The answer? The appearance was filmed in February.

A quick Google search brings up Getty Images, dating the appearance on February 12, 2026 – right at the beginning of the NBA’s All-Star break.

It was Brown’s first All-Star Weekend as an All-Star starter. At the time, the Celtics were 35-19, second in the East, and it seemed like a Jayson Tatum return could be right around the corner.

Yet there were still plenty of people on social media, ready and willing to chastise Brown for his behavior, assuming the episode was filmed after the playoffs had already ended.

In the context of the post-playoff world, it’s understandable why the interview wasn’t met with a happy fanbase. People aren’t too pleased with the Celtics right now. But again, Brown wasn’t speaking in the world in which they were bounced in Round 1.

Brown was speaking from the lens of a player in the middle of a career year. A player leading a Celtics team – one that was predicted to be in the Play-In or worse – to a top-two seed in the Eastern Conference.

There were plenty of thoughts circulating about what Brown said in his interview. Still, more than anything, these podcasts are a case study in media literacy – and media responsibility.

Clips from another podcast Brown was a part of – the new State of the Game show with Enjoy Basketball’s Kenny Beecham – also released recently. And though there isn’t concrete evidence like there is for the Hudson show, this episode is also believed to have been recorded over All-Star Weekend.

This lesson stretches beyond the world of the Celtics and well beyond the responsibilities of fans.

First and foremost, even if Brown had completed these interviews after the Celtics had been eliminated, that’s well within his rights. He’s not going to be visibly upset every time he makes a public appearance from now until October.

That said, the shows were filmed months ago. Yet they were aired at a time when Brown was teed up to get torn to shreds on social media.

Perhaps there were contracts in place or timelines that needed to be adhered to, but still, it should be required that the shows include at least some context about when they were filmed.

But even if they had, clips would have been shared to social media – like they were – regardless. People would have run wild, and the videos would have gone viral without any context.

If nothing else, use this situation as a reminder to find context before overreacting to social media clips. Whether it’s Celtics-related, NBA-related, or anything else.

1. Steve Kerr re-signs with the Warriors

ESPN’s Wright Thompson wrote a phenomenal article detailing Steve Kerr’s decision to return to the Golden State Warriors.

The long-time head coach recently inked a two-year contract to return to San Francisco.

Per Thompson’s article, Kerr had already made up his mind to retire before the Warriors took on the LA Clippers in their Play-In Game. But that win – a 126-121 victory, headlined by a 35-point Stephen Curry masterpiece – convinced him to return.

That blurb doesn’t do the tale justice. A season-long, inside look at what could have been Kerr’s final season with the Warriors. I encourage everyone to go read it.

Kerr has been with the Warriors since the 2014-15 campaign – their first championship in the current era. Since then, he’s been one of the most well-respected coaches in the league.

He’s spent time coaching Team USA, built an amazing reputation across the league, and established himself as one of the best coaches in league history, especially in player communication.

There may be some people who think it’s time for the Warriors to go in a different direction. To hire a new head coach and plan for the post-Curry era. But that Play-In win over the Clippers did more than just convince Kerr to return.

It proved that Curry can still lead a championship-caliber basketball team.

For a Warriors team without much financial flexibility, it won’t be easy. Jimmy Butler tore his ACL in January, so that’s a question mark Golden State will have to deal with. And building out the rest of the roster will be difficult with his contract, Curry’s contract, and Draymond Green’s contract on the books.

But Mike Dunleavy Jr. needs to get creative. Curry is still a top-10 player in the NBA. Even at 38 years old, his 3-point shot is one of the most unstoppable tools any team has to work with, especially when the playoffs come around.

Kerr is back in the driver’s seat. Curry will be there, too. Everything else? That’s where the Warriors need to make some tough decisions. But helping Curry win a championship should still be their No. 1 priority.

2. Will LeBron James retire?

After the Los Angeles Lakers were swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in Round 2, LeBron James was (obviously) asked about his NBA future.

At 41 years old, he’s entering the final stage of his career. Well, he was probably entering that stage about five seasons ago, yet he’s still around, playing at an All-Star level.

Post-game, James delivered a similar message to the one he’s shared after most of his recent postseason exits:

"I think you guys asked me about [retirement], and I've answered questions. I don't think I've come out and been like, 'Oh, retirement is coming,'" James said via Dave McMenamin of ESPN. "With my future, I don't know, honestly. It's, obviously it's still fresh from, obviously losing [the series]. And I don't know. I don't know what the future holds for me."

At this point, however, the question shouldn’t be about whether or not James should retire. It should be about whether the Lakers want him back.

This isn’t meant to question James’ talent. The fact that he was able to take down the Houston Rockets in Round 1, largely without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, is a testament to the level he can still play at.

However, Doncic is 27 years old. The Lakers need to start planning solely around him and his future. And if James retires (or finds a new team) this summer, LA could use that money to work in free agency or on the trade market.

Having Doncic, James, and Reaves is great. But at this point, LA may need the cap space more than James. Doncic is the future. And that’s where the Lakers should be focused.

3. Pistons-Cavaliers

After the first two games of the series, it seemed like the Detroit Pistons were going to cruise to the Eastern Conference finals.

Since then, Donovan Mitchell and James Harden have clapped back, winning three straight games. Now, the Cleveland Cavaliers are up 3-2 and headed back home, where they are undefeated this postseason.

Harden just poured in 30 points in Game 5, and Max Strus had 20 points off the bench. Meanwhile, despite scoring 113 points, the Pistons weren’t able to make the most of Cade Cunningham’s 39-point showing.

This series is far from over. The Cavs haven’t been nearly consistent enough in the postseason to count out the Pistons, and Detroit’s defense is good enough to win them a game, even if it will be on the road.

The question is, will they be able to slow down Mitchell? Though he only had 21 points in Game 5, he rained down 39 second-half points in Game 4. He’s the type of player who can win a playoff game on his own.

In the case of two relatively inconsistent offenses – one (Pistons) headlined by a lack of star support, the other (Cavaliers) headlined by inconsistent stars (Harden and Evan Mobley) – who will come out on top?

At this point, with the Cavs just needing one more victory, it’s hard to bet against Mitchell. But anything can happen.

4. Timberwolves-Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs may have been one Victor Wembanyama elbow away from a 4-1 series victory. They absolutely blew the doors off the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5, as Wembanyama churned out yet another monster postseason showing.

He had 27 points, 17 rebounds, five assists, and three blocks while shooting 9-of-16 from the field and 2-of-5 from deep in the Spurs’ 126-97 Game 5 victory.

Anthony Edwards has played well, and guys like Ayo Dosunmu and Jaden McDaniels have been serious playoff risers, but it hasn’t been enough.

The inefficient scoring of Julius Randle, combined with San Antonio’s well-rounded approach, has been too much for the Wolves to overcome. Add in Wembanyama’s dominant defense, and this series seems all but over.

5. The rest of the postseason

The New York Knicks and Thunder have been enjoying some nice downtime while their future opponents continue to battle each other.

New York made quick, easy work of the 76ers, sweeping them in four games. And though the Lakers put up a decent fight, the Thunder beat them in four, too.

OG Anunoby’s health will be a huge factor for the Knicks moving forward, but they should feel pretty good about where they stand. Neither the Pistons nor the Cavaliers have been consistent enough to keep up with the impressive product New York has put on display.

As for the Thunder, they’ve been business as usual. Still undefeated in the postseason, Oklahoma City looks like they have a real chance at being the first repeat champion since the 2017 and 2018 Warriors.

That said, their biggest test still lies ahead.

Oklahoma City went just 1-4 against the Spurs this regular season. Wembanyama and company absolutely dominated the matchup, and now, as many predicted, the two sides are on track to meet in the Western Conference finals.

Boston knows better than anyone that regular-season records don’t matter in the postseason. The Celtics learned that the hard way in the 2025 NBA Playoffs. And this time around, it may not apply to a Thunder-Spurs series, either.

San Antonio will undoubtedly give the Thunder their best fight of the playoffs, but picking against the shot-making of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander seems impossible right now.

He’s the best shot-maker the NBA has seen in years, and in the playoffs, making shots is almost all that matters.

Barring an impressive Wembanyama takeover, the Thunder seem poised to return to the NBA Finals, and the Knicks look like the favorite to meet them there.

And at that point? Oklahoma City would definitely hold the cards.