"The Hoop Collective" podcast, hosted by ESPN's Brian Windhorst, releases episodes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the NBA season. 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.
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July 3 | July 1 | June 29 | June 26 | June 25
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'The Hoop Collective' episodes
July 3: Why Did The Jaylen Brown Trade Happen Now?
Brian is joined by ESPN's Vincent Goodwill and Tim MacMahon to cover the ripple effects of the blockbuster Jaylen Brown trade and why the Boston Celtics felt like they needed to make this deal now. They then move on to the Los Angeles Lakers adding Walker Kessler and whether the return was too high to improve the Lakers' roster around Luka Doncic. The trio closes on how much better Brown makes the 76ers and whether Philadelphia could be a potential home for LeBron James.
Topics:
1:45: NBA still trying to make sense of the Brown trade
14:38: Why did this Brown trade have to happen now?
16:00: Can Kessler elevate the Lakers' ceiling?
31:57: Windy Storytime: A wild time in free agency
36:14: Was the price too high on the Kessler trade?
40:28: Breaking down 76ers roster outlook with Brown
51:15: 76ers need to at least make a phone call for LeBron
53:58: Not sure what the approach is for the Pistons
MacMahon on why the Brown deal happened: "I had a primary decision maker for another team in the league say if you make $60 million, this is what you're worth in a trade. If he made $40 [million], every single team in the league would have been lining up for Jaylen.
"It reached a point where, for whatever reasons, the Boston Celtics believed they needed to move on from Jaylen Brown. I don't even want to get into the blame game on that, but they reached that point where they believed they needed to move on from Jaylen Brown. I'm pretty sure they reached that point before they put him in a in an offer for Giannis [Antetokounmpo].
"And then after that, they just had to find the best deal. I think that there's plenty of room to criticize the approach that the Celtics took in terms of they went out swinging for sky-high value. They went out trying to trade Jaylen Brown at the value of the sixth-most valuable player in the league, which is what he was in the MVP voting, when the league does not perceive him to be sixth-best player league -- in terms of the people who are making decisions on the trade. In part because of his contract and then, this is such a hot button issue, but the advanced analytics are not favorable to Jaylen Brown."
Goodwill on if the Lakers gave up too much for Kessler: "They don't have the breathing room [now], and the draft picks usually are your breathing room to get: A) cheap talent year over year to wind up augmenting your players being on big time salaries, to cost control all of that; B) being able to put a draft pick in a trade at the deadline if you need to.
"They don't have any of those any of those mechanisms right now. You look at, are they athletic enough? No, aside from Walker Kessler, who's clearly an above average athlete playing center. But do you have enough athleticism around this ballclub to make you a better perimeter defensive team? Because if you're not, it doesn't matter that you get Walker Kessler at the rim.
"If everybody's on a freeway down there, you're going to get this guy in foul trouble and or put him in so many damn collisions and pick-and-rolls that he can't cover all that space. A GM told me, 'Is Rob Pelinka trying to get fired?' That's what a GM asked me yesterday."
MacMahon on Detroit's lack of activity in the offseason: "Like Norm Powell, if they would've signed Norm Powell, I'd be sitting here saying, 'Hey, man, that's a really, really great fit for Detroit.' He's not a superstar, but he's an All-Star who fits.
"Can you trade for Tyler Herro? Can you pull off something in the trade market with the flexibility and the picks that you have? They've got to find something because bringing back a team that feels like it hit its head on the ceiling in the second round last year after barely getting out of the first round, that that's a tough look, man."
July 1: EMERGENCY REACTION: Boston trades Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia
Brian is joined by ESPN's Tim MacMahon and Bobby Marks to breakdown the blockbuster Jaylen Brown trade between the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers, including why the Celtics would make this trade now, how big of a win the trade is for the 76ers and what the rest of the league is saying about the deal.
Topics:
00:16: Trade reaction
02:20: How did this trade happen between Boston and Philadelphia
17:35: The trade has given the 76ers life this season
20:50: Why this trade is so shocking around the league
Windhorst on the league reaction to the trade: "The league speculation -- it's not reporting, but I don't dispute it -- is that this was a trade that was made under duress. This was not a trade that you would make in a clinical setting. There's no deadline. Didn't have to do it by the end of July 1. You wouldn't do this trade under these circumstances if everything was equal. ... Something wasn't equal.
"We'll see what gets said about it, but that's been the multiple person reaction from the executives. I was actually on the phone with a general manager who was driving and I knew [the deal] was coming. I just didn't know the terms. And when I saw the terms, I read them to him and he was shocked and said, 'Thank God I'm at a stoplight.'"
MacMahon's reaction to the Celtics taking this deal now: "You can criticize the process, the approach that the Celtics took here, and you damn sure can criticize the results, but this was the best offer that they had on the table. And it wasn't for a lack of hunting, of searching or looking.
"Now, why didn't they pile more on to their offer to try to get Giannis [Antetokounmpo]? I believe what happened was they decided we're trading Jaylen Brown and then they tried to get Giannis and they got caught without contingency plans.
"The one thing I'll be honest about here: I don't understand why they took this offer now. Training camp doesn't start next week. Like, this seems to me to be an offer you take in late August or September because you feel like, well crap, I got to take the best thing on the table and there's not much good there."
July 1: LeBron's best landing spots, reaction to blockbuster Kawhi trade
Brian is joined by ESPN's Tim MacMahon and Bobby Marks to break down an eventful first day of NBA free agency. First the trio talks about LeBron James' departure from the Lakers and which teams might make the most sense for him this season. Then, they pivot to a discussion over what the Lakers can do now to build a contender for Luka Doncic in L.A. in the near future.
Next, the guys talk about the Raptors' blockbuster trade for Kawhi Leonard, including whether this move makes Toronto a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference. Finally, they examine why the Clippers are a very interesting team to follow after this move and a big change for the NBA Cup Final.
Topics:
1:22: LeBron not returning to the Lakers this season
7:39: Which landing spot is the best for LeBron?
17:08: A potential outlier team for LeBron
20:04: What do the Lakers do with LeBron not returning?
32:27: Raptors bring back Kawhi in trade with Clippers
41:42: A potentially fruitful pivot executed by Clippers
47:31: Could Nikola Jokic be looking to move soon?
49:06: Due diligence was done by the Raptors on Kawhi
52:18: NBA Cup Final officially moving to Hinkle Fieldhouse
MacMahon on LeBron's final chapter: "If it's just about maximizing the chance to win a championship, then he's going back home, right? I think that the Cavaliers would have the best chance if James Harden becomes their fourth-best player. That to me is their best chance. It's also the best storybook ending if this is indeed the last year. You know, the place obviously where it all started, where he delivered the first championship in 50-whatever years in the city's pro sports history. That's the storybook ending."
Windhorst and MacMahon on a wild-card team for LeBron:
Windhorst: "I have long believed that if there was an outlier team for LeBron, if he was willing to take some exception, it's Denver. if you noticed, during the year this year, he was overly effusive with Jokic."
MacMahon: "It'd be the two most brilliant basketball minds in the league joining forces, and they're complementary, where him and Luka was kind of a 'Who's got the ball in his hands?' Joker's all about having a guy who can run pick and roll either way."
Windhorst on whether the Aspiration investigation impacted the Kawhi trade: "Before they entered into this, Toronto and the Clippers, I believe, checked with the league office to make sure that there wouldn't be a holdup based on this Aspiration investigation."
June 29: EMERGENCY REACTION: Memphis Trades Ja Morant To Portland
Brian is joined by ESPN's Tim MacMahon to react to Ja Morant being traded from Memphis to the Blazers in exchange for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray. The guys break down whether this was a good deal for Memphis, why it represents an interesting swing for Portland, and what the end of the Ja era means for the Grizzlies moving forward.
Windhorst on the Morant deal: "They're able to get out of Ja Morant and give him a fresh start without having to incentivize anything. So I think all things considered, I think the parties are probably happy to have this behind them."
MacMahon on what Morant has left: "Dude still looks pretty damn athletic for me. And I think the way that he was dumped in Memphis, if that ain't motivation, I don't know what is. So, I do anticipate there will be a very motivated Ja Morant. ... I'm curious to see, can Ja kind of be a reclamation success story?"
June 29: Hornets cultural reset, factors to watch for Jaylen Brown, LeBron and Kawhi
Brian is joined by ESPN's Tim MacMahon and Vince Goodwill to break down the Hornets' continuing reset with the trade of Miles Bridges to the Suns. Next, the guys break down the latest on Jaylen Brown's future in Boston and how the Celtics' trade approach could indicate the future of the franchise. Then they discuss whether Kawhi could be on the move if the Clippers are allowed to make a deal and whether a reunion in Toronto is possible. Finally, they discuss where LeBron stands with the Lakers.
Topics:
1:52: Hornets' reset continues with Miles Bridges trade to Suns
12:45: Where does Jaylen Brown's situation stand in Boston?
22:23: What is the ceiling for the Heat this season?
24:23: Is a return to the Raptors possible for Kawhi?
29:01: Could the Aspiration investigation prevent deals?
34:51: Where do LeBron negotiations stand with LA?
MacMahon on the Hornets: "This is a cultural reset for the Charlotte Hornets. They are building around Brandon Miller, who's going to be 24 this next season and Kon Knueppel, who's 21. So they're taking a long-term view to build around a couple of top five picks who have already been very productive and they feel like can be cornerstones of that franchise moving forward.
"They didn't believe in LaMelo Ball as a cornerstone. They pounced on his value as soon as he had some. If they could have traded him last summer, they wouldn't say this out loud, but they would have. They did it as soon as they could. And then with Miles Bridges, a talented guy, he's had some major, major off-court issues. He's been productive these last couple years, but as soon as they could get off him, they did."
Goodwill and MacMahon on a possible Kawhi Leonard deal:
Goodwill: "If teams are actively looking at trading for Kawhi Leonard, they have to be getting some type of instruction from the league. Like, you can't let this get to the 2-yard line and Shams puts out the tweet and then all of a sudden the league comes in and says, 'No, you can't do that because we're probably going to suspend him for a considerable amount of time.' That's just bad business on the part of the league."
MacMahon: "You cannot put a team, whether it's Toronto or any other team, in a position where they're trading for Kawhi Leonard with no certainty about whether he's going to be available for them. So I cannot imagine if Kawhi Leonard is traded that he would then be suspended. The league's got to stop. They've got to put the brakes to it before. You can't do that after."
June 26: Massive coaching drama, Kawhi buzz and Detroit questions
Brian is joined by ESPN's Tim MacMahon and Vince Goodwill to break down the drama surrounding Blazers' hiring of Micah Nori. Then, the trio talks about Austin Reaves' huge contract with the Lakers and whether it might, in turn, force a big move from the Pistons. Finally, they discuss the possibility of the Clippers moving Kawhi Leonard this offseason and how that has become a huge conversation across the league.
Topics:
0:47: Drama surrounding Blazers' hiring of Micah Nori
14:02: Windy Storytime: interesting coaching background
16:04: Reaves leveraged himself to massive extension in LA
17:38: Who will Detroit target?
20:47: Could the Clippers trade Kawhi this offseason?
MacMahon on the Nori hire in Portland: "I've talked to several coaches who are absolutely irate about the circumstances, specifically the structure of this contract. And this is Tom Dundan's work. This is the Stanley Cup-winning, Dallas-based billionaire who in his brief time in the NBA has been notoriously cheap, frugal, doesn't travel two-way guys for the playoffs, has had layoffs, no late checkout. If you're at the hotel, you've probably got to find somewhere else to eat lunch, all kinds of stuff. ...
"That's how [Dundon] conducted this coaching search, which by the way started midway through the season while Thiago Splitter was working his ass off under insane circumstances, leading your team to the playoffs, and you're interviewing mid-major coaches who are telling you, 'Dude, I make more money than what you're talking about offering at a mid-major in college. But the salary is secondary.
"Micah Nori accepted a contract as a rent-a-coach. That's the best way I can put it. It's a three-year deal with team options for the second and third year."
Windhorst on Austin Reaves' new contract: "From what I was told, the Lakers were were in the range of five years, $150 million for Austin Reeves a couple of days ago. $30 million a year, a very good contract, significantly higher than what he was making right now.
"And some teams in the league who thought they might have a shot at Austin were like, 'Wow, if that's where they're at, we might be able to get him.' Brooklyn had some interest there. Detroit definitely had interest. And Detroit was lining up trades to open up even more cap space. They've subsequently moved Isaiah Stewart.
"The Lakers immediately, within 24 hours of the previous discussion, raised their offer to 45 or 46 million, whatever it was. They increased the offer by 50%. Because they thought he was going to walk -- it was leverage."
June 25: EMERGENCY REACTION: Hornets trade LaMelo Ball to Timberwolves
Brian is joined by ESPN's Vincent Goodwill and Tim MacMahon to react to the Charlotte Hornets trading LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves for forward Naz Reid and draft assets. They debate who won the trade, what it means for Charlotte and whether the Timberwolves can compete in the West with Ball and Anthony Edwards as their star duo.
Topics:
1:22: REACTION: Hornets trade LaMelo Ball to the Wolves
1:57: What made Charlotte do this trade now?
11:35: Does this move make Minnesota substantially better?
16:45: How much value do draft swaps have in modern trades?
Windhorst on why Charlotte did this trade now: "LaMelo has three years and $130 million left on his deal and his production is substantial. He's averaged 20 points a game pretty much every year. He hits a high volume of 3-pointers, high volume assist guy, plays high tempo, can really drive your offense, but $130 million for a guy who basically missed two whole seasons with ankle injuries ... it's just a high bar, [even] if there [were] a number of teams that need point guards. It's just hard to do.
"And so I don't think Charlotte was dying to trade him. But I think Charlotte was like, 'We got Kon Knueppel. That's the guy we're going to build around. He's 21 years old. If we can get a return for LaMelo that we like, we probably should do it now because he he's coming off a season where he only missed 10 games and showed some durability.'"