"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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Latest episodes:
Aug. 11 | Aug. 7 | Aug. 4 | July 31 | July 28
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'The Hoop Collective' episodes
Aug. 11: What's latest on Kawhi and the Clippers? And updates on Nuggets, Suns
Brian is joined by ESPN's Anthony Slater to discuss the latest in the ongoing Kawhi Leonard-LA Clippers situation, including how it could impact the Toronto Raptors and the Eastern Conference during the 2026-27 season. They move on to cover Dillon Brooks' new contract and how it impacts the future spending plans for the Phoenix Suns. The duo then closes on how the Denver Nuggets' books put them in trouble moving forward, and a remembrance of Don Nelson.
Topics:
0:45: How NBA players and teams are spending their summers
4:36: NBA teams getting new jets soon
8:13: Windy Storytime: wild LeBron travel story
10:34: The latest updates on Kawhi and the Clippers
19:22: What does this Kawhi situation mean for Toronto?
24:50: Dillon Brooks inks contract extension with Suns
27:10: What are the Suns' plans moving forward?
34:58: What is Denver's approach to this season?
45:30: Remembering NBA legend Don Nelson
Windhorst on the newest Kawhi Leonard intel: "That's obviously key: Did he get money from Daktronics? Slater, if this is accurate, the Clippers' side of it is devastating.
But let's put that aside for right now. For the actual business of the NBA for the 26-27 season, this is not just a Clippers issue. Last year was a Clippers issue. Now, it is no longer just a Clippers issue. Whether Kahwi Leonard is on the Raptors or not has a huge circumstantial fallout in the Eastern Conference and then obviously, you know, DeMar DeRozan is held up to a certain extent, for example. James Harden hasn't done his business with the Cavs because they're waiting on things.
"But even beyond the free agent logjam, the Raptors have been building their team around Kawhi, and they've been ready to extend his contract. Brandon Ingram has been ready to be a Clipper. Do you think Brandon Ingram is in the headspace to go back and be a Raptor at this point?"
Windhorst on future Suns rosters: "So what you're basically looking at with Phoenix is the quintet because it is what it is. [Devin] Booker, Jalen Green, Miles Bridges, Dillon Brooks, and Bradley Beal. You're looking at just south of $175 million [per season].
"I like what the Suns have done like, obviously Jordan Ott had a great first year. Brian Gregory, their GM, did a really nice job. Collin Gillespie, they signed to a nice extension this summer. They signed Mark Williams to a reasonable extension, a short deal that wasn't out of line, below the midlevel. They signed Jordan Goodwin to a long-term deal.
"A lot of the league liked that. Those are all nice singles. You know, Khaman Maluach looked great in summer league. That's what you want to see from your second-year player. You want to see him dominate. He looked good. Those are all things that if you're a Suns fan that you are like, 'This is really good.'
"They got Luke Kennard at a really nice number, two years and $12 million. I think the second year is a player option, but you know, getting Kennard for six months. These are all moves that I really like. But then I look at that top of that line of that salary structure and I look at the rest of the West, Slater. I'm just like, 'Are you happy with your $170 million a year?'"
Slater on potential Nuggets roster problems: "They may hold the cards, but it's not a super appealing hand considering their financial constraints and their relationship with Peyton Watson, which, we'll see where that goes.
" ... But Denver is in a bind right now, right? I mean, that's why the Spencer Jones offer sheet, while small to a degree, it was a very interesting offer sheet from a rival -- the Thunder -- [which] further complicated Denver trying to maneuver in the second-apron world with all these finances.
"And again, as we both know, the [Nikola] Jokic non-extension for reasons that he has quieted down, right? He still plans to be in Denver for his career, but this isn't necessarily the time to be making salary-slashing moves as you're still long term trying to convince your franchise player to be there. But also it's like you said, I wouldn't necessarily want to be Peyton Watson in this situation, but I don't think is Denver sitting there like, 'Man, what a beautiful spot we're in.'"
Aug. 7: Re-drafting the 2023 NBA draft
Brian is joined by ESPN's Tim MacMahon and Vince Goodwill to re-draft the 2023 NBA draft, including which teams got their picks right and what players moved up the draft board a few seasons later.
Topics:
01:00: Re-drafting the 2023 NBA Draft
02:31: Windy Storytime: Wemby draft lottery night
14:30: No. 1: Spurs draft Victor Wembanyama
16:00: New No. 2: Hornets draft Amen Thompson
20:41: New No. 3: Blazers draft Brandon Miller
21:25: New No. 4: Rockets draft Cason Wallace
23:46: New No. 5: Pistons draft Ausar Thompson
27:38: New No. 6: Magic draft Keyonte George
31:30: New No. 7: Pacers draft Dereck Lively II
35:43: New No. 8: Wizards draft Toumani Camara
38:47: New No. 9: Jazz draft Scoot Henderson
40:15: New No. 10: Mavericks draft Anthony Black
41:58: New No. 11: Magic draft Jaime Jaquez Jr.
44:51: New No. 12: Thunder draft Brandin Podziemski
52:00: New No. 13: Raptors draft Brice Sensabaugh
54:56: New No. 14: Pelicans draft Bilal Coulibaly
Aug. 4: 10 biggest questions for the 2027 offseason
Brian is joined by ESPN's Tim MacMahon and Bobby Marks to cover the biggest questions of the 2027 offseason, including why it's a big summer for the Denver Nuggets and Nikola Jokic and the Golden State Warriors and Stephen Curry.
Topics:
1:45 10 biggest questions for the 2027 offseason
2:49: Could next summer be a big one for the Warriors?
8:14: Will there be more cap space teams next season?
10:22: Could the 2027 free agent class be huge?
11:22: How Jokic could drastically change 2027 free agency
16:33: Will the Knicks get a deal done with KAT?
18:42: Other players who could really impact free agency
23:54: What players could become supermax-eligible?
28:04: How some first-round picks could move
35:00: Windy storytime: Draft lottery on TV
36:37: Could the second apron help teams poach big players?
MacMahon on the Jokic contract situation in Denver: "Nikola Jokic, a no-brainer Hall of Famer if he never played another second of basketball. A champion, multi-time MVP. He's obviously earned the right to sign the largest contract in NBA history and not have anybody question it one bit. But he is doing the exact opposite of what Jalen Brunson did and the opposite of Victor Wembanyama did. Not in the years but at least in the money.
"Brunson signed his earlier, [and has] taken significantly less money because his max extension of time wasn't nearly as much because the salary was nearly as much in order to give [the Knicks] flexibility to build out the roster. Wemby just reinvented the "fun max." He made the fun max come back because he wants to make sure they've got the flexibility to build out that roster. And Joker's got a championship ring. He's not prioritizing flexibility in being able to build out the roster. And I'm not saying that to criticize. I'm just stating a plain fact."
Marks on Karl-Anthony Towns' future in New York: "He's got another year with a player option around $60 [million]. It's the year after that's the one to circle because you've got Brunson ... he ain't taking a discount.
"I mean, he already did and it's time to catch up. So, you got that, you've got OG [Anunoby], you've got [Mikal] Bridges. Josh Hart's extension-eligible, too. He's got a team option next year. As you said Brian, "The hard thing is to win it and then the other hard part is to keep it together," and that's it. You basically are going to have to have guys continually sacrifice here."
Windhorst on the potential Team USA roster in 2028:"When you're looking at the '28 Olympics, you're looking at the French, who have played the U.S. in the final the last two Olympics. You're looking at Victor [Wembanyama] and you're wondering about Victor and how you're going to handle that. Well, Jaden McDaniels had some moments against Victor in the playoffs this year. I think he's a candidate."
July 31: The most interesting NBA trades that never happened
Brian is joined by ESPN's Tim MacMahon and Bobby Marks to break down some of the most interesting trades in NBA history that never came to fruition -- from Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Lakers, to Carmelo Anthony to the Brooklyn Nets, to Kobe Bryant leaving L.A. and much more.
Topics:
1:56 Most interesting trades that never happened
2:04 Chris Paul's famously rejected trade to Lakers
4:48 How Carmelo's trade to the Nets fell apart
11:20 How Kobe Bryant to the Pistons failed
18:37 Lakers trying to get Kevin Garnett from Wolves
21:38 Bulls considered trading Pippen for Kemp
22:32 Cavs outbid Knicks for Donovan Mitchell from Jazz
28:52 Jerry West prevents Warriors from trading Klay
33:51 The time Bobby thought he was getting 2nd pick
36:29 Steve Kerr trying to get Suns to draft Curry
39:53 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's trade request to Knicks
July 28: A UNIQUE situation for 76ers + what do teams who missed out on LeBron do now?
Brian is joined by ESPN's Tim MacMahon and Vince Goodwill to explain why LeBron James joining the 76ers is truly a one of a kind situation and break down who will need to sacrifice the most in order to make it work in Philadelphia. Then, we discuss if Stephen Curry could have a future outside of Golden State now that the Warriors have missed out on LeBron before talking about what the other teams who missed out on LeBron can do from here. Finally, we illustrate how the Thunder put the Nuggets in a difficult position and if Nikola Jokic may not stay in Denver forever.
Topics:
1:10 LeBron going to Philly is a truly unique situation
6:03 Who will need to sacrifice the most for the 76ers?
18:32 Windy Storytime: Fisher & Brian hospital?
22:06 Curry comments on Warriors missing out on LeBron
37:04 Where will the Cavs pivot from here?
39:41 Timberwolves have a big hole at power forward
42:32 How can the Heat move forward without LeBron?
47:13 Thunder putting Denver in a difficult spot now
56:32 A grand college tour comes to a close
Windhorst on LeBron in Philadelphia: "I'm not worried about LeBron fitting in. People are like 'Oh, what about LeBron? He's the third option, fourth option.' How do we know he's going to be the third or fourth option. I haven't seen him play yet [with the 76ers]. What if he's the first option? Say that happens?"
MacMahon on Curry's future with Golden State: "$62.6 million this year, that makes him one of the highest paid players in the league. Is an extension at or more than that number? If it is, it's a lifetime achievement award, because the Warriors aren't going to be winning with Steph Curry making $60-plus million a year. They're just not going to be. And quite frankly, the idea that the Warriors are even a big move away from being a contender, it's not an idea that's based in reality. The reality is they won a 9-10 play-in game last year and celebrated like it was a monumental accomplishment."
Goodwill on the Nuggets' roster situation: "This to me almost feels eerily similar, in different mechanics, to the Milwaukee Bucks' post championship. You wind up rewarding your guys who were there. Their numbers keep going up and it's not commensurate to the cap. Khris Middleton gets a max, Jrue Holiday gets a max, everybody gets extended off of the championship and trying to keep that team, the bones of that team together, and you keep putting good money after bad. Now they're in a position where, is this a first-round team in the Western Conference, even if they keep everybody? You have the best player in the world, or at least in the conversation of still being the best player in the world, and you are paying luxury tax money and you don't have any designs on getting to the Oklahoma City/San Antonio echelon of contention in the West. That feels like you're in no-man's land."