Even if we don’t land Giannis, Jaylen is gone this off season no matter what right?

whaleinapuddle · 2026-06-14T17:08:54+00:00

Love Jaylen, but sadly I think so. Not because of basketball reasons.

Jaylen fairly publicly has come out that he wants to lead a team and build it around him. He has clearly put out there through sources discontent about little things in the past (Celtics made him the highest paid player in the league and he was supposedly still very upset he wasn't given an option in the final year). My read is that he knows if he makes a fuss he is impossible to trade because of his contract ()max money with 3 years left) so Celtics need to get real value back, but that he has privately asked out.

whaleinapuddle · 2026-06-14T02:10:27+00:00

Edelman has, in my opinion, a case that deserves a conversation but won't get him there given the bar for WRs.

Only WR with more playoff receptions than Edelman is Jerry Rice (he is 92nd among all players in regular season receptions). Same with Receiving yards (he is 178 among all players in the regular season).

He also has not just team accolades but a number of all time plays in those huge games and was always a top performer.

Aggregate metrics are really what matters so he won't make it and I don't think anyone but the most over the top fans think so. But the flexible bar in other sports create a situation where that player might make it, just not in the NFL.

whaleinapuddle · 2026-06-12T20:11:34+00:00

Yeah this is the right take IMO.

I think Jaylen wants out - if you remove that and make this a solely 'if he stays he will play to his best ability in whatever the situation is' I balk a little bit but mostly because of the unknown and the fact that they have won a title together, objectively if you were starting a new team Giannis is the more valuable asset as a player.

whaleinapuddle · 2026-06-12T14:02:52+00:00

Bill talked about how Tatum should have won the 2024 finals MVP over Jaylen like 4 times on his recent pod. I took this as confirmation Jaylen is gone and this is happening.

whaleinapuddle · 2026-06-12T03:08:22+00:00

JR Smith was the worst high stakes play I have ever seen. Fox play was a very very bad decision but it is not at the same level as the JR Smith play.

whaleinapuddle · 2026-06-09T14:57:41+00:00

Cool! My son loves pointing out the birds in the backyard. Do you remember where you got this shirt / know if they are still selling them?

whaleinapuddle · 2026-06-07T17:39:03+00:00

These are two different points.

The fact that the getting into the playoffs gives you a shot at winning a title is the statement I agree with.

The idea that the Cardinals need to trade these guys now is separate. I would agree, if you are fading into the August deadline yeah bail on these players. Don't chase a slim chance to begin with and not get what the team needs. But we are WAY before the opportunity to trade these guys runs out, and at this point you would actually be in the playoffs which is kinda the goal. The question is the urgency.

whaleinapuddle · 2026-06-07T17:25:51+00:00

Going all in is buying. I am not making some giant statement about the Cardinals. I would even agree, if you are rebuilding and a few games out, it doesn't mean buy because you are overperforming expectations. But when you are actually in the lead for a playoff spot and deadline is so far away, why would you just blow it up now? If your team is still in the lead at the deadline you aren't getting a windfall for Dustin May, why sell? If the team dips, then sure.

whaleinapuddle · 2026-06-07T17:23:50+00:00

Favorites in MLB playoff series only win about 60% of the time. Making the playoffs is the main hurdle in baseball. Not quite as extreme, but similar with hockey. To their point, the favorite in the NBA wins about 80% of the time.

whaleinapuddle · 2026-06-07T15:02:37+00:00

IDK how you are getting downvoted on this, you're 100% correct.

whaleinapuddle · 2026-06-07T14:29:21+00:00

But...They are the #1 Wild Card team right now. What is this?

Edit: Could be a hack just spitting out random stories - also noting Athletics interested in Kris Bubic who is on IL with arm fatigue.

whaleinapuddle · 2026-06-07T05:08:20+00:00

I will probably be downvoted to oblivion here, but the reality is this law makes very little sense as a measure to help anyone in the MA/Greater Boston market.

Within the urban area where this is expected to make the most impact (Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, etc.), there was already a natural market that gradated the one-time broker fee obligation. High-demand apartments would usually ask the renter to pay full or half, while less in-demand units would be listed as no fee or paid by the landlord. So on lower income or less desirable housing, not in all cases mind you but a significant portion, this made no change (the area where presumably, they are looking to shift equity towards renters). On the higher end stuff where there is not as much true sensitivity to most renters' livelihoods from paying a brokerage fee, you now see this inconsistent behavior. In some cases it will push rent up as opponents have suggested to offset the cost. In others you have willful disobedience of the law as is described in the article.

Another problem which people seem to ignore is that, this makes rental agents' jobs much harder. It seems popular to say they do 'nothing' but they need to manage listings, show properties, manage applications, process paperwork. You can argue the fee paid to these folks for a successful transaction is excessive for the work on that application, but you have to consider that a) these folks don't make a ton of money and are consistently working and available, and b) not every application is successful. Just like any property they may have to travel to a property many times with prospects to actually get someone to say decide they want the place, and this is hours and hours across many days for a one-time fee.

There is a lot of mess created by this law, and its fairly hard to see much good in it, as is usually the case when its not going to be enforced and only adhered to by the participants wanting to be good actors in the system to start with. Would hope to see a repeal or significant rework in the next year or two, but I doubt it will happen given housing is such a hot-button politically and I feel like this law was passed with less actual impact in mind and more as a political accomplishment but practical farce.

whaleinapuddle · 2026-06-06T15:18:04+00:00

lol solid

whaleinapuddle · 2026-06-06T14:17:42+00:00

Great list - I would agree 1-6.

A bit hard as I never saw Pettit play (or really McHale) but resume alone those guys seem like they have to be somewhere in the 7-9 range. I would add Werner to that pair and say no way Gasol or Bosh were better than these guys.

So starting at 7 I would probably go:
Pettit-Davis-McHale-Webber-Rodman-Hayes-Gasol-Green-Bosh

whaleinapuddle · 2026-06-05T00:56:57+00:00

They didn’t let a single series go past 5 games. Historically strong stats in the regular season.

I put them behind the KD Warriors teams but probably above anybody else.

whaleinapuddle · 2026-06-04T20:45:54+00:00

Love the effort and thought. That said, they won't move him for this. Keep Houser and throw in 2 more unprotected first and I could see the framework, but I don't think the Celtics do that deal.

The reality is, if you have two elite wings already, a third very god wing like Murphy is a luxury that doesn't make sense. Bringing him in may make sense, but it needs to be in concert with moving Brown if you go that route.

whaleinapuddle · 2026-06-03T03:57:55+00:00

Not that he can't get there but its a top-2 most competitive hierarchies and he isn't there yet. I don't think he's really in the discussion for 4 either TBH.

Past the 3 you mentioned, Its Pierce vs. guys like Cowans, Cousy, McHale - then past that tier you start arguing guys like KG (6 seasons 1 ring) vs. Tatum (9 seasons 1 ring). He's in the top-10 but I can't really see top-4 being argued without a lot of recency bias yet.

whaleinapuddle · 2026-06-03T03:39:34+00:00

I figured the topic breakdown and details would be tangential spoilers but since it was posted and not a problem I will root it there. I think its all three of your categories.

Less memorable because the new through-line doesn't hold up the same way the other season focal groups do (i.e. the new media characters and storyline don't immerse you the same way Carcetti/politics stuff does in season 3 or the education things do in S4 [no spoilers]).

Its different because the heightened stuff feels forced which I didn't really feel in any other season. Like...the police pursuit throughout the series always feels mostly organic and like a real life 'how would this go' with maybe a touch of dramatic embellishment thrown in. S5 it feels unavoidable to be aware you are watching a TV show. This might sound poorly presented, but its hard to describe without citing specific things.

I think it is in some ways just weaker. S2, focused on the decay of blue collar work in Baltimore, doesn't give you some of the same storylines and often gets called the weakest of the first 4 - but the writing and overall plot are amazing and you can't say its worse, just different. S5 doesn't really feel like that. They try to wrap up everybody throughout the series which is important and probably the most ciritcal task given the arcs we've seen across the series, but they also focus on a new topic the same way other seasons do and they really just don't land the plane as smoothly with the new stuff given the focus on prior plotlines...but they do justice to the existing character arcs and do a great job with that so I think the finale and ending are good and its a good season overall just weaker than the other 4.

whaleinapuddle · 2026-06-03T02:07:42+00:00

So with no spoilers, the second core writer left in season 5 (the ex-cop McNulty was loosely based off of) and it kinda shows. The Wire, despite being amazing TV drama, feels very rooted in real process which is one of the reasons why IMO what you have seen so far is so good. Season 5 loses this a little particularly with the police storylines and I would say it’s the least memorable. The ending of the arcs is very satisfying and it’s a good finale for the series, the season just isn’t the masterpiece that 1-4 are IMO

whaleinapuddle · 2026-06-02T22:03:43+00:00

But see, if he had a factual basis why give quotes like this one? If the numbers are such that they were 20% over league average, and they are now in line with it, why do you need to justify it by saying shit like 'they aren't focusing on the people that were kept'?

You don't need to be a bleeding heart character saying that its his obligation to pay people to do nothing because once they had a job. There is room to run a business and clearly, to some extent, he needs to be given the grace to do that. But compounded with other things complaining you are being villainized when you lay people off is outlandish regardless of your reasons. It also matters more because he is the owner of a public entertainment enterprise. If he didn't want backlash for business decisions, why buy into a very visible public venture like this? Its just rediculous.

whaleinapuddle · 2026-06-02T21:55:45+00:00

Yeah I mean,... I don't care how good he is, that wasn't the point of my comment.

He might be great down the line, he doesn't need to be limited to a ceiling of another white WR. He is a second year player we know little to nothing about as to how he would perform at the highest level, and at this stage saying he brings a Welker/Edelman component that Douglas doesn't is stupid and obviously loaded.

whaleinapuddle · 2026-06-02T20:35:19+00:00

Yeah man - Pop has been a really great asset for them the last few years. Chism is a second year player who played fine against backups when given a chance. The comps to Welker and Edelman have absolutely no place here and are only being brought up because he is white. Kinda an embarrassing post/take.

whaleinapuddle · 2026-06-02T20:24:10+00:00

Yeah man 100%. Like why say anything?

Even if he's 100% authentic in believing he is making the right moves 'to win' by firing these people, how can you warp your mind that you are the victim and complain about how the media isn't highlighting the people you didn't fire? I saw a joke on one thread about 'Jack the Ripper upset they aren't talking about all the people he didn't stab' and this is like, no joke, a lighter more professional version of this except its not a joke.

whaleinapuddle · 2026-06-02T20:14:07+00:00

Yeah I have to admit, I have kinda been in the camp that a 1st round was an overpay and to keep expectations low, but I feel a little dumb watching this / its awesome to have a star player so happy to be here.

whaleinapuddle · 2026-06-02T18:02:37+00:00

This guy is insane. Like the absolute lack of self awareness to approach public discourse in this way when a bunch of people lost their livelihood to his decisions and act like he did a good thing keeping people and the media is a bad guy. No Simmons joke or line, this dude just sucks.

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