'The Hoop Collective': Episodes of Brian Windhorst's NBA podcast
Here are the top highlights from Brian Windhorst's "The Hoop Collective" podcast, from breaking news to the latest intel and reaction from around the NBA.
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"The Hoop Collective" podcast, hosted by ESPN's Brian Windhorst, releases episodes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the NBA season and Tuesday and Friday during the offseason. Windhorst and his guests break down what's happening on and off the court, evaluating the trends you need to know and examining the latest news from across the NBA.
Listen to 'The Hoop Collective': ESPN | Spotify | YouTube | Apple | Amazon | iHeartMedia | TuneIn
Latest episodes: Aug. 25 | Aug. 21 | Aug. 18 | Aug. 14 | Aug. 13
Aug. 25: Did Miami solve its biggest problem? Mavs building around Flagg and questions for Timberwolves
Brian is joined by ESPN's Tim MacMahon to break down the Klay Thompson buyout in Dallas and his deal with the Miami Heat, including whether the Heat solved their biggest problem and where they now land in the Eastern Conference. They move on to what it means for the future of the Dallas Mavericks and Cooper Flagg before closing on an ownership change in Minnesota and why this season is critical for the future of Anthony Edwards and the franchise.
Topics:
0:46: Windy Storytime: Tracy McGrady recruiting 9:04: Klay exits Dallas, signs with the Heat 15:05: Does Klay fill a big hole for the Heat? 25:40: Assessing the strength of Miami's roster 31:54: How are the Mavs building around Flagg? 38:42: Marc Stad takes controlling stake in Wolves 46:03: The issues currently facing Minnesota
Windhorst on how the Heat improved their chances this offseason: "When the Giannis [Antetokounmpo] trade happened, people were saying, "They've got to get shooting. They've got to get shooting." Well, Klay made 202 threes last year. Klay played 69 games last year. He made 3-pointers. Tim Hardaway [Jr.] played 80 games last year. Made 224 3-pointers. I have no idea how many games they're going to play this season. They're both in their 30s. I have no idea how many 3s they're going to hit. But these two guys combined hit [426] 3-pointers last year. And the Heat got them for $12 million combined.
"That's just good business, and if you're if you're gonna have Bam [Adebayo] and Giannis, how do you get out of that? And also, I'll point out, the [Andrew] Wiggins thing. Wiggins had a very good 3-point shooting season last year. Wiggins, [shot] 41%, I believe. That's his career high. He made 138 3-pointers. So, between the three of them, and again, this is last year, not playing together. They were playing on three different teams. I'm not saying they're going to get the same amount, but last year, between the three of them, they made 564 threes. So I don't think you can say that the Heat have a problem with 3-point shooting anymore."
MacMahon on the Mavericks' new roster: "Obviously this roster is very much a work in progress. What they did this summer, it was a lot of singles. They extended Naji Marshall. They traded for [Santi] Aldama using an exception from the AD deal. You know, they traded for [Zaccharie] Risacher. I forgot exactly where that exception came from. They traded for Marcus Sasser on another exception. You know, these are all singles, like the Risacher thing. It's a single that you're hoping you can leg that thing out and get a double out of it. It's a it's obviously an upside play for a guy who was a No. 1 pick.
"Tough to be the No. 1 pick sandwich between [Victor] Wembanyama and [Cooper] Flagg, but that's what he was. There's a reason the Hawks were willing to part with him after a couple seasons, but,you know, 6-foot-10, has some potential there. But nothing about the Mavericks is about next season. This is about trying to build long-term around a kid who's still 19 years old in Cooper Flagg."
Windhorst on the hurdles facing the Timberwolves next offseason: "There are two people that the Wolves have to worry about keeping. [General manager] Tim Connelly, because he's been so important, and then that's second to keeping Anthony Edwards. And they're a team that has traded away draft capital and they're really going heavy. They went heavy in on LaMelo Ball. So they need the LaMelo Ball and Edwards partnership to work. They need their investment in Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert to work. They need Ant Edwards to resign next year."
Aug. 21: Cavs go all-in, what's next in Denver and updates on the Lakers situation
Brian is joined by ESPN's Tim MacMahon and Dave McMenamin to break down the multiteam trade that sent Peyton Watson to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Max Strus to the LA Clippers, including what it means for all the teams involved and how it led to the James Harden extension in Cleveland. They then move on to the Los Angeles Lakers ownership drama and what it means for Luka Doncic's future in Los Angeles.
Topics:
01:04: Cavs-Nuggets-Clippers sign-and-trade reaction 06:44: What does this deal mean for Cleveland? 11:48: Harden working with Cleveland to improve team 21:55: What does this deal mean for Denver? 31:30: Watch out for Jonathan Kuminga in the coming days 40:37: Was this good business for the Clippers? 42:31: Latest updates on Lakers' ownership drama 45:36: What to pay attention to with Buss family battle 53:26: Walter's piece of the situation in LA 56:32: Windy Storytime: Lakers' sale 01:04:34: How does this impact the future in LA?
Windhorst on the potential of the Watson deal in Cleveland: "In January and February, Peyton Watson went on an 18-game stretch where he started all 18 games. He averaged 36 minutes. This is a guy who averaged in the low to mid-20s before that. So he was getting full-on starters minutes. I don't have this looked up, but he probably was averaging as one of the NBA leaders in minutes during that stretch because the Nuggets just didn't have depth and they were banged up.
"In that stretch, he averaged 21 points and shot 45% from 3. He also averaged five rebounds and three assists. And so the question really is, is that 18-game stretch before he pulled his hamstring, is that the current Peyton Watson? Is that Peyton Watson? Four years into his career, now age 23, heading into his prime, 6-8, excellent shot blocker for a wing. Is that the Peyton Watson? Because if that's Peyton Watson, the Cavs doing a five-team trade and giving away a whole bunch of players, that's a hell of a pickup. Or is Peyton Watson the guy who he was before and after that, which is a guy who's a quality piece, a starter-quality piece, but averages, you know, 12, 13 points and has for his career shot under 40% from 3?"
McMenmamin on what the Nuggets' summer means for Jokic's future: "We know how great (Jokic) is and of course every superstar as we've seen, Brian and I in particular covering LeBron, that if you're that great, the pursuit is to try to add as much talent around you because it just opens up your window that much longer and that much wider. However, at what point do we say that they've done everything they can to field the team around [Jokic], to the point where they're in the second apron, and this could become a Milwaukee situation?"
McMenamin on what the Lakers' off-court drama means for the franchise: "The on-court product is relatively locked in. Obviously, we talked about (Jonathan) Kuminga -- who knows if that happens -- but they have 16 guys on their roster. The team's mostly going to look like what it's going to look like for next season, but when you are trying to contend and trying to add an 18th banner, you're going to have to win around the margins. And part of their intention going into this offseason was to use Mark Walter's resources and put it toward other ways that they can enhance the program. And you know Rob Pelinka stated he wanted to hire two assistant general managers. He was only able to bring in one. The other spot remains vacant on a hiring freeze....
"These are the type of things that while we wait for the sale to be completed with Iger and Kushner could be put on pause. And you know when you're Luka Doncic and you made the NBA Finals with the Mavericks, and now it's two straight years without getting back to that perch and wanting to have every available advantage at your fingertips to try to get back there... When you have someone like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who's now lapped you with a championship and two league MVPs.... We'll see how patient he's going to be with this process."
Aug. 18: Eastern Conference win total reaction
Brian is joined by ESPN's Vincent Goodwill and Tim MacMahon to breakdown the win totals for each team in the Eastern Conference, including which totals are too high, who is being overlooked and what they expected from the loaded conference.
Topics:
0:41: Eastern Conference win total reaction 04:24: New York Knicks 12:22: Boston Celtics 20:34: Philadelphia 76ers 32:17: Detroit Pistons 40:08: Cleveland Cavaliers 50:28: Miami Heat 52:57: Toronto Raptors 55:16: Indiana Pacers 57:48: Orlando Magic 1:00:32: Atlanta Hawks 1:02:32: Charlotte Hornets 1:05:10: Washington Wizards 1:07:39: Chicago Bulls 1:09:24: Milwaukee Bucks 1:10:39: Brooklyn Nets
Aug. 14: Western Conference win total reaction
Brian is joined by ESPN's Tim MacMahon to go over the win total projections for the Western Conference, including which totals are too high, which teams are being overlooked and the most interesting projections.
Topics:
0:34: An infamous hoop time zone confusion 3:52: Western Conference win total reaction 4:39: LA Clippers 7:34: Oklahoma City Thunder 11:29: San Antonio Spurs 15:39: Denver Nuggets 18:49: Minnesota Timberwolves 23:57: Houston Rockets 26:40: Los Angeles Lakers 31:30: Portland Trail Blazers 35:55: Golden State Warriors 38:21: Phoenix Suns 40:52: Utah Jazz 44:03: Dallas Mavericks 47:33: Memphis Grizzlies 49:15: New Orleans Pelicans 51:13: Sacramento Kings
Aug. 13: EMERGENCY POD: Lakers sold again! What does it mean for the franchise?
Brian is joined by ESPN's Tim MacMahon and Ramona Shelburne to react to the Los Angeles Lakers getting sold in a record-breaking $12.5 billion deal to businessmen Josh Kushner and Bob Iger. They break down why the stunning sale happened now, what it means for the future of the franchise and more in this emergency podcast.
Topics:
0:45: Lakers sold in a stunning $12.5 billion deal 6:48: Why did this deal happen now? 16:27: Big changes continue for Luka's career 22:46: What does this change mean for the franchise? 34:02: An interesting statement from Excel Sports 40:18: Remembering an electrifying career from Russell Westbrook
Shelburne on why this deal is happening now: "The way this came together was that Josh Kushner and Bob Iger were one of the bid groups in Las Vegas and they've been trying to get an expansion team in Vegas.
"From what I understand, the bidding on that franchise has gotten close to that $10 billion number or, at least where they were in that in that moment, was around $10 [billion]. And that's the same price Mark [Walter] paid Jeanie Buss when he bought her shares of the Lakers. And I think both of them being L.A. natives go, you know, we want to buy legacy brands. Like, why buy something new and start it all new and spend another two or three billion building an arena in Vegas without at least checking with Mark Walter?
"And I think we should talk about the the backstory here, which is that there's been some reports over the last few months, Mark's under investigation with the Department of Justice. Everyone involved [has a] blanket denial that this had anything to do with it, but you and I are smart.... Look, did he intend to sell the team and flip it? I mean, he's made a lot of money in 10 months, but are Josh and Bob Iger smart enough to know that somebody who's dealing with a lot of other issues might be receptive to a call like that? Yes."
MacMahon on the rarity of the Lakers being sold twice in 10 months: "You don't buy the Lakers to flip them. You know, it's not like a a house you buy and do a quick remodel and flip. This is the freaking Los Angeles Lakers and it's just crazy. You see the top two purchase prices of professional sports franchises, this broke the record that Mark Walter set less than a year ago. Look, I get a 25% profit by $2.5 billion. That's more than Tilman Fertitta paid for the [Houston] Rockets not that long ago."
Windhorst on what this could mean for the franchise: "Now, one of the big questions, Ramona, is the thing that was exciting Laker fans is they watched Walter and his partners and his leadership, some of whom were also going to be leading the Lakers, right? They watched him modernize the Dodgers.
"Not only inject a bunch of money into the Dodgers, and we all know that you can't spend money in NBA like you can in baseball. But there was this excitement that the Lakers were sort of a mom-and-pop operation and [general manager] Rob Pelinka talked about [how] that money was going to be injected into the Laker franchise. They were going to modernize and that this was going to potentially hopefully go down the Dodgers path.
"Now, I have no idea what Josh and Bob have planned or what they're financially going to be able to do by buying at this level. And it's going to be a little unsettling. I mean, Bob Iger knows the NBA as well as anybody. Josh Kushner has again been a part of of the league. Like, these are not people who are naive, but this is a different level of pocket that is coming in."
