The Cleveland Cavaliers are trying to shake down the Boston Celtics, and it’s not going to work. Join Mark Allison and Justin Quinn as they break down the fiasco of a situation that’s been brewing ever since word leaked to the press that new Cleveland general manager Koby Altman and company might want “additional compensation” after Isaiah Thomas had his physical. We break down what we know, what we don’t, and what might end up happening depending on how this deal goes down (or doesn’t). We also talk about some guys the Celts are looking at for training camp and possibly the end of the bench, so whether you’re just re-entering the world of NBA madness or riveted by this latest drama, we’ve got you covered.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/celtics-lab-nba-basketball-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Mark Allison and Justin Quinn do the unwelcome task of dissecting the two first-round losses to the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Playoffs, as well as a quick look at the other results around the league. We also talk about some guy almost none of you remember who played less than a quarter of the least memorable Celtics seasons in history (trust us, there’s a reason), Ray Allen explaining why he didn’t accept an offer to return to the Celts, and much more.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/celtics-lab-nba-basketball-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Much of the conversation ahead of the 2021-22 NBA season circulating in the NBA media has revolved around something that isn’t necessarily a basketball conversation, though it has pervaded virtually all aspects of contemporary life. We are of course talking about COVID-19 vaccination in the league, and in particular some especially vaccine-resistant players who occupy positions of considerable influence. But rather than making the story about those individuals, the hosts of the “Celtics Lab” podcast Justin Quinn, Cam Tabatabaie, and Alex Goldberg dug deep in the hopes of re-setting the narratives a bit surrounding how we should engage those persons and the issue of vaccine hesitancy (and more pernicious anti-vaccine sentiments) in society more generally. It can be hard for some of us in the media to see Kyrie Irving, LeBron James, and others resistant to making choices for the common good, but a steady stream of fan and media ire is almost certainly going to do little to change their minds on how they can best use their platforms (and bodies) to make us all safer (and teams perhaps more successful) in the midst of a pandemic.  To that end, we were incredibly lucky to have Andy Slavitt of the “In the Bubble with Andy Slavitt” podcast to talk on the intersection of public health in an era of COVID-19, the NBA and society at large. Andy has worked with the last three presidents on issues of public health, most recently serving as President Biden’s COVID-19 advisor. We hope you find this podcast as informative and helpful in coping with and making progress on this viral scourge affecting all of our lives as we did. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/celtics-lab-nba-basketball-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the offseason in full effect for all thirty NBA teams, attention now turns to the process of assembling next season’s squads, and with the Boston Celtics poised to be among the league’s elite, you’d think it would look to be a slow summer. And you’d be wrong, if analysts like Stephen A. Smith are correct that LeBron James will meet with Danny Ainge this summer about joining the team. There’s also (potentially related) rumblings former LeBron teammate and current Celtics star Kyrie Irving may not want to stick around after next season, a plethora of trade proposals (most of them bad) to consider. Join Mark Allison and Justin Quinn as they try to make sense out of all this unexpected drama, as well as getting caught up on other news within the organization and around the league.  Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/celtics-lab-nba-basketball-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices