"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.
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Sept. 3 | Sept. 1 |Aug. 28 | Aug. 25 | Aug. 21
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'The Hoop Collective' episodes
Sept. 3: EMERGENCY POD: NBA announces Clippers' punishments after Kawhi probe
Brian is joined by ESPN's Tim MacMahon to react to the hefty punishments handed down to the LA Clippers by the NBA after the investigation into Kawhi Leonard's off-court dealings. They break down what this means for the future of the Clippers, if the punishment makes sense and if this will impact Leonard's pending trade to the Toronto Raptors.
Topics:
1:25: NBA punishes Clippers after Kawhi probe
7:04 :The Clippers' argument against the NBA in this
10:36: What sticks out about the NBA's findings
16:47: What comes next for the Clippers?
30:21: How will this punishment impact Kawhi?
32:56: Who was most impacted by this punishment?
43:56: Final thoughts on this punishment decision
MacMahon on why the penalty was so large for the Clippers: "The simple fact of the matter is this ain't the first time Steve Balmer's pulled this shady stuff. That did not help his case.
"They gave him a little slap on the wrist for the DeAndre Jordan stuff in 2015. $250,000 fine. It was 'Oh, whoops. We didn't know.' And then, there's the investigation for the Kawhi signing because, guess what? It's not like Uncle Dennis only asked the Clippers for a whole bunch of under-the-table stuff. He was asking everybody for under-the-table stuff. 'Oh, geez. You know, we were asked, but we didn't, you know, didn't give him anything' and and now this. So, in a way they're three-time losers."
Windhorst on the Clippers' best course of action following the ruling: "If they could get an agreement, if they could plead guilty, get an agreement and and say, 'We're not going to challenge any of these penalties.' And they get an agreement that there'll be no further penalties -- basically, they'll say that these five first-round picks are all-encompassing, they cover everything. It's a blanket agreement and [then] they keep their nose clean, and they do the Kawhi trade, they might be able to come out of this without four broken limbs. They may be able to come out of this with less damage."
MacMahon on one of the winners of the investigation: "I do think Adam Silver in a way is a winner of this because straight up, he had been soft on crime as the commissioner since, ironically, he booted the previous Clippers owner, which was completely different circumstances."
Sept. 1: How Steph Curry can decide Warriors' future and major questions for Pistons
Brian is joined by ESPN's Tim MacMahon and Anthony Slater to discuss Stephen Curry's future with the Golden State Warriors, including how a potential extension could determine the franchise's outlook. They then move on to the Jalen Duren-Detroit Pistons situation, as his restricted free agency continues. Will this cause major issues for the Pistons' season? They close on the recent dramatic FIBA World Cup qualifiers, including a matchup between Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic.
Topics:
2:09: Latest on Steph Curry's future in Golden State
8:31: How Steph could help the Warriors' chances
20:16: Jalen Duren and Pistons still stuck in negotiations
26:13: What is the worst-case scenario for Detroit?
40:40: Windy Storytime: Cavs contract standoff
46:06: Headlines from FIBA World Cup qualifiers
46:48: Epic battle between Wembanyama and Jokic
49:39: Other NBA stars making an impact in FIBA
Slater on the potential Curry extension in Golden State and why he could wait: "One of the things in discussions I've been having with people is this idea of, let's say he's like, '[Taking less money for the team is] something I'd think about.' I would be surprised if he locked into a number now because, as you just saw with Draymond Green, the Warriors and their legendary figures are willing to trust each other in business.
"Draymond Green willingly gave up $27 million and went into unrestricted free agency where he couldn't have got $27 million back, [but] under the understanding if business didn't work out, he would get that money back. If you're Steph, you say, 'OK, you know what? I'll give y'all a crack at going and trying to find some stuff, but if you don't, at the end of the day, if I come back and say, give me the full max, I get the full max.'
"So, to answer your question, he doesn't have to necessarily lock into it now because they can't really execute [upgrading the roster]. Even if they could say, 'Hey, here's a theory of what we could do. Here's another theory of what we could do,' he could just say, 'All right, well, I'll hold off for now and see if you can do it, but at the end of the day, if I want the max, give me the max.'"
MacMahon on the Duren-Detroit situation: "He just averaged 19 [points] and 11 [rebounds]. He's a big physical force with some skill. Unfortunately, and this is part of the complications here, is he also just had a really disappointing playoff performance. I would say in terms of individual playoff performances coming off of that All-NBA season, Jalen Duren might have been the most disappointing in the league.
" ... I've talked to just executives from other teams around the league just kind of taking people's temperature and a lot of what I got is like, 'I can definitely see both sides of this,' because for the Pistons this is not an anti-Jalen Duren thing. This is a, 'We want to keep this core together.' By the way, they're also in the process of attempting to negotiate an extension with Ausar Thompson."
MacMahon on the Wembanyama-Jokic rivalry: "As much as Denver's summer was frankly a disaster, you can't just dismiss the Nuggets.
"Let me say this, Victor Wembanyama might be the most dominant defensive player in the history of the game. One guy he does not bother much is Nikola Jokic. Do you know what Joker's stats against Wemby are in seven games in the NBA? 37.3 points per game, 10.9 rebounds, 9.1 assists."
Aug. 28: Kuminga's move to Minnesota and NBA awards predictions
Brian is joined by ESPN's Tim MacMahon to discuss Jonathan Kuminga's move to the Minnesota Timberwolves and how he'll fit with their new-look roster. They then move on to Bennedict Mathurin's deal with the New Orleans Pelicans and Shaedon Sharpe's recent injury in Portland before closing on ESPN's NBA Summer Forecast.
Topics:
01:28: Kuminga lands with the Timberwolves
08:19: Is this a good move for Anthony Edwards?
12:15: How does Kuminga fit with Minnesota?
16:32: Mathurin signs with the Pelicans
22:19: Shaedon Sharpe injury update in Portland
26:44: NBA responding to CBA criticism
31:03: NBA Summer Forecast 2026-27 reaction
32:18: Predicting the NBA MVP for this season
48:01: Predicting the NBA's Rookie of the Year
52:53: Picking the NBA scoring champion for this season
57:00: Who will be the most disappointing team?
01:02:12: LeBron and PGA Tour collab in Akron
Windhorst on the Timberwolves' offseason and Kuminga's deal: "[Coach] Chris Finch definitely played a role [in signing Kuminga]. Obviously, I'm sure there were other Wolves that were involved as well, but obviously Ant, from what I understand, Ant was very excited. Ant, from what I am told, is very pleased by the Wolves' offseason. Going to get LaMelo [Ball], making this deal happen for Kuminga.
"I don't think Ant's a guy who stews and is angry, [but] the last time we saw Ant he was congratulating the other team with five minutes on the clock or whatever it was. I don't think he was thrilled with that situation."
MacMahon on what Minnesota needs from Kuminga: "I think a lot of this comes down to Kuminga's willingness to adapt his game to try to be a complementary player to try to fit in. There's going to be spacing concerns.
"He's not a great shooter. Jaden McDaniels' 3-point shot has kind of been up and down over the years. I think that's going to be critical. Now, Ant's a hell of a shooter. LaMelo Ball,you're going to guard him and you're going to guard him out to 30-plus feet because he'll launch it. And the percentages aren't awesome, but he's a threat, for sure. But with [Rudy] Gobert and Kuminga, you know Finch is going to have to figure out some spacing issues, but Kuminga's got to be a finisher. He's got to get off this idea that he's a ball-in-hand creator."
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."
