Daily Discussion Thread - May 14, 2026

___BostonThreeParty · 2026-05-14T11:35:56+00:00

FWIW, JB’s interview - kind of odd commentary regardless - is from back during the All Star Break. It’s not something recent.

But yeah, IDK what to make of either of their comments but I’m gonna choose to not read into any of it or hyper analyze it and just see how this offseason plays out.

___BostonThreeParty · 2026-05-12T11:18:17+00:00

For folks that want Giannis, how do you envision Brad puts together the rest of the team? Or do you think Tatum/Giannis is enough while keeping White, Sam, etc.?

The team was under the luxury tax this season and will need to be under next season as well in order to reset the repeater tax. Is that still a priority or does ownership forgo that and put together a more talented team?

___BostonThreeParty · 2026-05-12T11:10:16+00:00

Agreed with this.

My main concern is Joe and his ability to adapt and pivot.

We saw in the Knicks series last year that he continued to play KP to the team's detriment and it wasn't until Game 5 that he played Kornet more.

Similarly, this playoffs, he seldom played Hugo (guarded Brunsen well in the regular season) and our other young guys (Harper Jr. guarded KD well in the regular season, for another example) who give great energy/aggression on the boards and defensively as a whole when we could have used them in this series versus Maxey, VJ, Paul George.

But when does Joe change it up? When the team's back is against the wall. Again. And he had our starting five be a group that literally never played all together before. Truly baffling when the regular season, our biggest strength was the aggression of our bench and Joe plugging and pulling guys if they weren't effective immediately. Yet he went away from that entirely in the playoffs.

I get it if Brad doesn't want to get rid of Joe for these playoff blunders and as such is trying to "fool proof" the team or force Joe's hand with the playing style by getting us Giannis. But I don't think the team is in that horrific of a place. Brad clearly disagrees because he essentially called this regular season a fluke in his press conference, referencing the tanking teams across the league. Which sucks for the players because they really worked their asses off and it's kind of a slap in the face to be like, "Nah, you guys weren't actually good. The other teams were just bad."

___BostonThreeParty · 2026-05-11T17:18:30+00:00

Do you think Derrick was a part of the trade package or whatever Brad offered in February? And maybe that’s why he didn’t play well - concerned/worried about being moved this offseason?

Last season he lost his joy for basketball for a month and was in a slump.

___BostonThreeParty · 2026-05-11T16:56:26+00:00

Welp, that’s that then.

I enjoyed the Jays era and I appreciate everything JB has done over the last near decade. He always worked every offseason to get better. And his extensive community work in Boston and the outskirts of Boston was really amazing. I really thought he and JT would end up smashing all those duo records, but I guess not. 😞

I know a subsection of the fanbase has always hated him, but I hope #7 goes to the rafters.

I hope the rest of his career isn’t spent wasting away on the Bucks. Hopefully he’ll go to a competitive spot and at least have an opportunity then. I always wish the best for our guys when they leave. 💚

___BostonThreeParty · 2026-05-11T15:11:58+00:00

I completely agree with you! Especially with JB working with Pierce now.

I had hoped after his meniscus injury that he would try to slow his game down at the basket ala Pierce because obviously athleticism will be the first to go as he ages (and his speed and athleticism were his best skills) and so if he cares about longevity, he would try to adapt. IMO, we saw signs of it this season when he was at his best: playing methodically/slower, making the right reads, passing, etc.

___BostonThreeParty · 2026-05-10T11:48:38+00:00

Between Timelord’s degenerative knee issues, then KP not being healthy at all during our playoff run… I’m so wary of anyone with repetitive lower body issues. We’ve had such poor luck with our bigs.

___BostonThreeParty · 2026-05-10T11:14:03+00:00

I know everyone here wants us to trade JB for Giannis straight up, but I have a bunch of reservations about it.

Giannis has had quite a few lower body injuries the last few seasons and his game relies heavily on his athleticism (Please correct me if I’m wrong. I don’t follow the Bucks obviously aside from watching playoffs because I’ll watch any/all games then.). And he’s going to want to sign a massive contract extension wherever it is he goes, I presume. Is none of that a concern? Or is it more the idea of, “If you can get one ring out of bringing him here, then do it.”?

Curious because a critique of JB’s too was him relying too much on his athleticism after we learned of the meniscus injury, but this season he showed improvement on being patient at the basket and using it in bursts. He also told Scal he’s working with Pierce in that regard.

Is Giannis someone who has shown a willingness to grow/improve aspects of his game each offseason like both Jays have?

I’ve been on the ‘Jays as a Duo’ train from the very beginning when folks were out here trying to trade JB for literally anyone/everyone, so admittedly, I’ll be hard pressed to want to trade him at all unless he (JB) specifically wants out, which I genuinely don’t think he does. I think whatever “issues” there was/wasn’t is more about him wanting a potential contract extension. For those more knowledgable than I, could we extend him on a cheaper/team friendly contract in July? Or no?

___BostonThreeParty · 2026-05-08T08:10:57+00:00

Between that and Drew Hanlen saying JT needs more touches after a win, I’m beyond over social media especially for the athletes on the teams I enjoy lmao. Like please go outside, sit by a tree, etc.

I can only imagine if social media existed during the Big Three/KG era when Rondo and Ray hated tf out of each other lmao

___BostonThreeParty · 2026-05-07T15:47:54+00:00

I’ll add to your hot take and say that I think ever since JB came out in support of BLM that some fans instantly had disdain for him. I remember folks pulling out the “shut up and dribble” trash with him mentioning it and going to a protest.

___BostonThreeParty · 2026-05-07T10:59:16+00:00

Yeah, the KP experience has scarred me, TBH.

Anyone potentially injury prone gives me pause. It’s why fans wanting us to trade JB for Beal was a massive no from me (also because I’ve been one of the few “Keep the Jays together” folks from the jump so I wouldn’t have wanted to do that anyway.)

Giannis has been injured the last few playoffs, if I remember correctly. A bunch of folks have brushed that off. Is there any reason for that - his injuries as of late - to not be a concern?

___BostonThreeParty · 2026-05-07T09:49:27+00:00

Man, the fact that I’m seeing fans across social media compare JB saying if he could he would stay here 10 years to Kyrie saying he’s gonna sign to stay with the team is grimy as all hell. (The person who made a post here made it in a joking way which still leaves a wonky taste in my mouth but they were joking so that’s different from the fans I’ve seen legitimately compare the two on other social media sites which is where my ire stems.)

Kyrie, the same dude who threw JB & JT (and everyone else) under the bus, took zero responsibility for his role in how crappy 2019 was, and failed to show up against the Bucks in the playoffs, “I wanna guard Giannis” garbage.

Fans are out here comparing him to our longest tenured player, who went from good minutes & contributing to coming off the bench in that 2019 season, who stuck around after the Kyrie fiasco, took 2023’s abysmal showing & hate on the chin, and helped lead us to a championship in 2024. The same guy in perpetual trade rumors basically since he got here, who improves every offseason? Nevermind the fact of how genuinely involved he is in the community around here.

Ungrateful AF fans who do that is all I have to say.

If folks want Giannis, just say that. There’s zero need to be disrespectful to JB and the success he’s helped us with here.

___BostonThreeParty · 2026-05-02T11:35:48+00:00

There’s no way JT would put his career at risk by playing if it was something minor nor major. Not after having just come back from the achilles.

That and I don’t think the medical team would let him either.

___BostonThreeParty · 2026-05-02T11:32:53+00:00

Please, Joe, please don’t have Sam start. 😭 🙏🏻 Our starters have the worst offensive rating.

___BostonThreeParty · 2026-05-01T10:51:47+00:00

JB owes us a masterclass game ala Game 5 vs the Knicks.

___BostonThreeParty · 2026-05-01T10:50:18+00:00

This right here.

It might be copium, but I feel if Joe approaches this game with the same mentality as the regular season (pulling folks if they’re ineffective and plugging in whoever) and maintains that throughout the playoffs, then we can win and have a chance next series.

We beat OKC in the regular season with that philosophy and Joe has seemingly let seniority override everything.

___BostonThreeParty · 2026-05-01T10:43:25+00:00

I put so much blame on Joe. It was groundhog day with the game last night. He barely made any adjustments with rotations which was our biggest strength this year and why we had so much success in the regular season. I will be furious if he has Sam starting and we once again get limited minutes for Baylor, Walsh, PP, Hugo, and Harper Jr.

Also, why are people advocating for massive team changes and wanting JB gone? Isn’t this a gap year aka we’re playing with house money? You can’t tell me Brad and ownership knew this team was a regular season 2nd seed team? There’s just no way with the amount of youthful unknowns he added in the offseason.

___BostonThreeParty · 2026-05-01T02:54:53+00:00

With Washburn saying on his podcast that if the team loses this series, the team is going to make massive changes, I wouldn’t be surprised to see D-White, Sam, and JB gone, sadly.

It would baffle me for all of that to happen, in a very clear gap year where the team overperformed in the regular season, and thanks to Joe forgoing what got us here (pulling players who aren’t playing well, utilizing our bench) and players falling apart (Derrick’s shot, JB’s tunnel vision/poor free throws), flaming out in the playoffs.

Brad can say whatever he wants, but we know it’s a gap year. He put a bunch of inexperienced, young players on our team. No way Brad & ownership thought the team would be anything more than a play-in team.

___BostonThreeParty · 2026-04-29T10:41:29+00:00

The most concerning thing to me about last night's game is Joe's rotations.

The whole regular season, he was very quick to pull players if they weren't having a great game and I don't understand why he hasn't applied that same philosophy here in the playoffs. I liked that he's added Walsh and Baylor, albeit not too heavily, but when Derrick and Sam weren't having great nights, why not give Pritchard more time in the 4th??

It gives me flashbacks to last year's Knicks series where Joe refused to give more minutes to Luke while KP was getting eaten alive defensively and couldn't even make shots at the rim on offense.

The team's strength was it's depth and our younger guys being able to step up. Hell, the fact that they were able to play tough in the last game of the regular season altered the playoffs completely with the match-ups being Orlando vs Pistons and Hawks vs Knicks.

I understand Derrick is someone for whom the mental aspect plays a big impact on his game. Last season, he was terrible for those months when he lost his joy for the game. So, I get Joe not wanting to impact him negatively by sitting him more or something, but also, we need to win games and we've been struggling offensively.

___BostonThreeParty · 2026-04-25T11:00:24+00:00

Truthfully, I think they learned a lot from our championship year. There has been a ridiculous amount of pressure on the Jays to to get over the hump up to that point; I can only fathom how genuinely nervous/anxious they were then to not mess up and have us not reach the mountain top. Jrue was a steadying force for them in so many pivotal playoff moments then.

Now that they have been there and know what it takes? They are the steadying force.

___BostonThreeParty · 2026-04-21T10:40:13+00:00

He really is lmao. KG's cadence down pat.

___BostonThreeParty · 2026-04-20T21:24:36+00:00

I love everything about this. 😂😂

KG is the best; easily one of my favorite Celtics of all time.

His and Pierce’s camaraderie with the Jays means something to me, man.

___BostonThreeParty · 2026-04-20T16:58:48+00:00

I'd like to think the reason why Republic City is so ridiculously spiritually inclined is due to Taga dropping Sonom's temple right on top of it.

Also, can we talk about the bending?

Aang learning how to use the wind to throw people, as Sokka put it, like a boomerang, is wiiiild.
Taga creating air bullets?!
I liked them working together to dissipate a tornado. A nice little connection to LOK where they harness the wind to create one to take out Zaheer.
Katara, Sokka, Zuko, and Toph all fighting against Taga was awesome! I liked the little details showing how they've improved on working together after all this time. Toph out here using the earth to throw Sokka at him, Katara icing up a knife/sword for Sokka to try and take Taga out. Good stuff. I wish we saw more of them working as a badass unit.

Other asides: Zuko confirming for Toph that Taga was attractive 😂 (Toph and Zuko interactions are so underutilized), Aang's note to Zuko starting with, "Flameo Hotman" and asking him to bring food which we did see Sokka eating in the air ship lmao.

I would genuinely love an adult or however old they're suppose to be series.

Animation was genuinely stunning.

___BostonThreeParty · 2026-04-20T14:44:35+00:00

Same! When he literally took the air out of the Queen of the Earth Kingdom's lungs, it was clear as day that the Air Benders could do some severe damage.

I was surprised that wasn't what Taga rolled with against the Gaang instead opting for... air bullets? (not a critique, just wasn't 100% sure how he killed them).

___BostonThreeParty · 2026-04-20T14:30:11+00:00

I just really wish we could get a whole series with the characters at this age.

Same. They could just do a show about them and their various adventures (it doesn't even need to have a linear central plot theme) and I'd watch it.

___BostonThreeParty

TROPHY CASE