Quote · The Bill Simmons Podcast
Steph in Purgatory, a LeBron Mini-Mailbag, Jaylen Trade What-Ifs, and the Revived Red Sox With Joe House and Bill’s Dad
Where this was said
Catching up on Boston sports with Bill's dad
At 1:57:07 · chapter starts 1:19:01
Bill walks his dad through the full context: the Celtic-Philly playoff history they've witnessed together since 1977, the 3-1 series collapse last year, Embiid's three good games, the coaching shortcomings against Nick Nurse, and then the stunning summer — Jaylen Brown traded to Philly, LeBron follows, and now Boston's archival has a superteam. [1] — Bill's Dad "Bill's dad admits he was ready to move on from Jaylen Brown after 10 years — but the trade package was horrendous. He ranks it alongside th…" 1:56:30 Dad concedes he was ready to move on from Jaylen after 10 years of frustration — but the trade package was horrendous, and he'll never understand why Stevens accepted it. His street-level intel: not one Celtics fan he's spoken to on his dog walks around Boston is defending the trade, and the universal sentiment is they got 40 cents on the dollar. He places this alongside the Luka trade as the worst deals he's seen in his lifetime. [2] — Bill's Dad "Celtics ranked 4th of 4 Boston teams by Dad: Bill's dad ranked the Celtics last among Boston's four franchises in terms of optimism, behind…" 2:00:08 The question of why Tatum sat out Game 7 against Philly — never explained, never reported — adds another layer of frustration. Dad's final rankings of Boston franchise optimism: Patriots 1, Red Sox 2, Bruins 3, Celtics 4. The only hopeful note is that Brad Stevens has been excellent overall, so perhaps he sees something they don't — but neither Simmons believes it.
The Red Sox went on a 15-game winning streak that transformed their season after starting terribly, coinciding roughly with the Celtics' Jaylen Brown trade.
With Roman Anthony out for the year, Crochet hurt, and Trevor Story somehow improving the team by leaving, the Red Sox found their engine in Contreras — a lunatic who cares about every game. The 100-to-1 shot became the team's identity.
The 2026 World Cup in Boston was a massive success — Scottish fans in kilts took over Beacon Street outside Cheers, Norwegians did their rowing celebration on the Green Line, and the city fell in love with the tournament in a way nobody expected.
Red Sox top prospect Roman Anthony received a $100 million commitment but missed the entire season with a mysterious finger injury, leaving the team without its projected franchise cornerstone.
Brad Stevens traded Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia for Paul George and two first-round picks, a deal widely derided by Boston fans as receiving 40 cents on the dollar.
Bill's dad admits he was ready to move on from Jaylen Brown after 10 years — but the trade package was horrendous. He ranks it alongside the Luka deal as one of the two worst trades he's seen in his lifetime. Street-level fan sentiment: nobody in Boston is defending it.
