Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective

Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon are live from Rockets-Mavericks NBA House in Macao! Mavericks president Masai Ujiri joins the show to discuss Cooper Flagg’s limitless potential, Kyrie Irving’s importance to Dallas and the challenges of building a contender in the Western Conference. Plus, Ujiri reflects on what it takes to build a championship team and Kawhi Leonard’s return to Toronto. Next, ESPN’s Chao Meng also joins to explore the NBA’s popularity in China, the country’s sneaker culture and the excitement surrounding Yang Hansen. Then, NBA legend Carlos Boozer returns to share memories of playing for Jerry Sloan and assess the current state of the Utah Jazz. To close, the guys reflect on their Macao experience and wrap up the Hoop Collective’s World Tour 2026! CHAPTERS: 00:00 Welcome to The Hoop Collective Live from NBA House in Macao 00:20 Assessing the NBA House & Macao experience 06:18 Mavs' President Masai Ujiri joins the show 7:20 Challenge building Mavs to Western contention 12:00 Is Cooper Flagg underrated already? 15:10 What does Kyrie mean to the team in Dallas? 16:20 What it takes building title contenders 19:35 Reaction to Kawhi Returning to Toronto 24:45 ESPN's Chao Meng joins the show 25:55 Explaining the NBA's popularity in China 30:25 What is the shoe culture like in China? 32:03 Yang Hansen's popularity as a Chinese player 34:00 NBA legend Carlos Boozer rejoins the show 34:10 What was it like playing for Jerry Sloan? 36:40 What is the current state of the Utah Jazz? 39:15 Thank you to everyone involved with the World Tour 2026! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon are live from Rockets-Mavericks media day in Macao! Rockets general manager Rafael Stone joins them discussing Houston’s approach to roster construction, building on last season’s 52 wins and navigating a competitive Western Conference. Then, Jabari Smith Jr. joins to talk about the Rockets’ expectations and Fred VanVleet’s return, while Mavericks wing Naji Marshall talks about developing his floater, playing alongside Cooper Flagg and new head coach Dusty May’s influence. Plus, NBA legends Shawn Marion and Carlos Boozer join the show. Marion reflects on the 2011 NBA Finals, being a pioneer in the evolution of positionless basketball, earlier contract extensions and playing with LeBron James in Cleveland. And, Boozer shares lessons for his son, Cameron Boozer and the comparisons in their game. CHAPTERS: 00:00 Welcome to The Hoop Collective live from Rockets-Mavericks media day in Macao 01:46 Rockets GM Rafael Stone joins the show 03:45 How the Rockets approach team building 09:20 Growing on the Rockets’ 52 wins last season 13:30 Expectations in a competitive Western Conference 14:48 Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. joins the show 15:56 Houston’s expectations with Fred VanVleet returning 18:18 Navigating the competition in the Western Conference 20:15 Mavericks wing Naji Marshall joins the show (fix?) 21:55 Developing Naji’s floater 25:15 Playing alongside Cooper Flagg 28:00 Dusty May’s influence 28:42 NBA legend Shawn Marion joins the show 31:53 Memories of the 2011 NBA Finals 35:05 The evolution of positionless basketball 39:48 Why are contract extensions happening earlier? 44:00 Playing with LeBron James in Cleveland 46:35 NBA legend Carlos Boozer joins the show 47:45 Lessons for Cameron Boozer 52:08 Thanks for watching! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Hoop Collective is live from Manila, Philippines, answering your biggest questions about the NBA! Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon welcome Jimmy Alapag to discuss his coaching career with the Sacramento Kings before diving into underrated storylines for the upcoming season, the Clippers’ outlook and the NBA’s growing international talent pool. Plus, the biggest “what ifs” surrounding LeBron James’ free agency, the best path to building a contender, trades that could have changed the league and offseason moves deserving more attention. Brian and Tim also share their favorite basketball moments, and what they miss about Bontemps. Timecodes: 00:00 Welcome to the Hoop Collective live from Manila 01:02 Jimmy Alapag joins the Hoop Collective 04:57 Jimmy's coaching career with the Kings 18:23 Answering your biggest NBA questions 23:12 What is an underrated storyline for this upcoming season? 27:32 What to make of the state of the Clippers? 32:08 Will the flow of International players continue? 36:39 What the crew misses about Tim Bontemps 42:23 Who couldn't the Heat close a deal for LeBron James? 46:22 The biggest "what ifs" of LeBron's free agency 50:20 What is the best route to building a contender? 55:06 Brian & Tim's favorite basketball moments 1:06:12 What failed trade would've changed the league? 1:07:19 How to report controversial stories 1:09:54 What offseason move deserves more attention? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian Windhorst, Tim McMahon and Michael C Wright preview the Southwest Division, breaking down the biggest questions facing the Spurs, Rockets, Mavericks, Pelicans and Grizzlies heading into the 2026 NBA season. The guys discuss each team’s outlook, the roster questions that could define their season and where they stack up in the Western Conference. Plus, who has the highest ceiling, which team has the most to prove and who could surprise? Timecodes: 00:00 Welcome To The Hoop Collective 02:25 Our 2026-27 Southwest Division Preview 02:38 Sky high expectations for the Spurs 15:00 Windy Storytime: Spurs redemption 19:00 How can Spurs maximize their young talent? 29:30 Rockets hoping to take a leap this season 41:15 Cooper Flagg’s development exciting in Dallas 52:28 Can things improve for the Pelicans? 57:10 Memphis is a very hard team to project Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian Windhorst and Tim McMahon host a sold out live show at Courtside in Melbourne, Australia with guests: Cole Anthony, Luke Paul, Olgun Uluc and Derek Rucker. The guys talk with Cole Anthon about his experience in the NBL, Luke Paul on his decision to go to Duke and his NBA expectations. Plus, Olgun reveals the next wave of Australian stars to watch and what to expect for their next world cup team. Timecodes: 00:00 Welcome To The Hoop Collective 00:35 Derek Rucker joins the show 02:10 Cole Anthony joins the show 04:00 Cole Anthony's experience with the NBL 08:45 Challenges of drama with Bucks last season 11:50 How to have the right mindset in basketball 14:50 How NBA players negotiate contracts 18:25 How is NIL impacting college decisions? 22:38 What is goal for Melbourne United this season 26:18 Luke Paul joins the hoop collective 27:05 What are NBA scouts saying about his game 30:00 Expectations for Duke & going out on his own 34:20 What Duke players he wants to emulate 38:00 Is he ready for the Duke-UNC rivalry? 39:25 Derek Rucker on the basketball culture here in Australia 42:45 Olgun Uluc joins the hoop collective 43:15 Learning about the AFL in Melbourne 44:45 Who are the next superstars from Australia? 56:45 What will the Australian World Cup team look like? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian Windhorst, Tim McMahon and Anthony Slater preview the Pacific Division, breaking down the biggest questions facing the Lakers, Warriors, Suns, Kings and Clippers heading into the 2026 NBA season. The guys discuss each team’s outlook, the roster questions that could define their season and where they stack up in the Western Conference. Plus, who has the highest ceiling, which team has the most to prove and who could surprise? Timecodes: 00:00 Welcome To The Hoop Collective 00:20 Our 2026-27 Pacific Division Preview 01:05 Can Lakers Take The Next Step In Playoffs? 18:45 What Is The Best & Worst Case For Warriors? 28:30 Suns Overachieved Last Season, What Now? 35:20 What Can We Expect From The Clippers Now? 42:40 Assessing The State Of The Kings This Year Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian Windhorst is joined by ESPN reporters checking in from Media Day around the league. Tim McMahon, Dave McMenamin, Vince Goodwill, Jamal Collier, Eric Woodyard, Ben Golliver, Anthony Slater, and Michael C. Wright join the show with the latest from the Lakers, Clippers, Thunder, Spurs, Knicks, 76ers, Warriors, Timberwolves and Pistons. What are the biggest questions facing each team as training camp begins? They break down the storylines and early expectations across the NBA. Melbourne Show Link: Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon Special Live Podcast TIMECODES : 00:00 Intro 01:08 76ers Media Day Reactions 06:55 How LeBron is assimilating in Philadelphia 15:00 How will the 76ers deploy their talent this year? 18:45 Vibes exceedingly high for the Lakers today 32:25 Bronny's quotes about LeBron leaving 35:20 Windy Storytime: Bronny's name origins 40:20 Exciting summer coming to a close for the Knicks 41:15 Major contract negotiations ongoing with NY 55:10 Assessing vibes with new pieces in Minnesota 1:08:40 Bad news days continue for the Clippers 1:24:15 Evaluating Kawhi's fit with the Raptors 1:30:20 Not a lot of love in the air for Pistons 1:44:30 Breaking down state of the Warriors 2:00:25 Thunder dealing with departure of key teammates 2:16:13 Interesting quotes from Spurs about their starting 5 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian Windhorst is joined by ESPN's Tim MacMahon to discuss the ongoing contract extension discussions between Karl-Anthony Towns and the Knicks including how this could set the tone for the future in New York. Then, the guys discuss some interesting quotes from Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Thunder Sam Presti with regards to OKC’s commitment to keeping their title contending squad together. Finally, we tackle how strong Kawhi Leonard’s extension with the Raptors is and explain why it is a fascinating deal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian Windhorst is joined by ESPN's Tim MacMahon to break down expectations for our Hoop Collective World Tour. Then, we tackle some substantial extensions that flew under the radar before talking about some you need to keep an eye on. Finally, we discuss some financial bonuses that separate the Lakers and Knicks from the rest of the field. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian Windhorst is joined by ESPN's Tim MacMahon and Bobby Marks to break down ESPN’s NBA Future Power Rankings including the some teams who were surprisingly high and some who had substantial drop-off from last season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian Windhorst is joined by ESPN's Tim MacMahon and Vince Goodwill to talk about the Clippers’ owner Steve Ballmer accepting the NBA’s punishment and how that may have cleared the path for the completion of the Kawhi trade to the Raptors. The crew breaks down what we can expect from Kawhi on the court, discusses some wild stories from his previous stint in Toronto and if we will see elite performance once again. Plus, we tackle what Brian is watching in NBA owners' meetings like the state of expansion in the NBA and Adam Silver's tone about the Clippers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian Windhorst is joined by the publishing director for Eurohoops Aris Barkas to break down what the future plans are for the NBA in Europe including if the concepts are feasible, how everything could potentially work and the state of the current landscape of European basketball. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian Windhorst is joined by ESPN's Tim MacMahon to break down the latest on the fallout from the Clippers’ punishment following the NBA’s probe into their dealings with Kawhi. The guys talk about how some key league history indicates what may be to come, why LA got into this situation and what may have been known by Kawhi. Next, the guys tackle Amen Thompson’s extension with the Rockets before talking Ben Simmons signs with the Kings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian Windhorst is joined by ESPN's Tim MacMahon to react to the punishments given to the Clippers by the NBA after the probe into their dealings with Kawhi. The guys break down what this means for the future of the Clippers, if the punishment makes sense and if this will impact Kawhi moving forward in Toronto. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian Windhorst is joined by ESPN's Tim MacMahon and Anthony Slater to break down Steph Curry’s interesting future in Golden State including how his potential extension could determine the future for the Warriors. Then, the guys tackle the intriguing situation between Jalen Duren & the Pistons as his restricted free agency presses on. We discuss if Detroit will be able to manage this moving forward or if it could cause major issues for the team. Finally, we talk about the FIBA World Cup qualifiers with some epic battles taking place in Europe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian Windhorst is joined by ESPN's Tim MacMahon to break down Jonathan Kuminga signing with the Timberwolves including if this is the right fit and what Minnesota will look like this season. Next, the guys tackle Ben Mathurin signing with the Pelicans before reacting to the Shaedon Sharpe injury update in Portland. Then, the guys go through the ESPN NBA Summer Forecast covering some major NBA Awards like MVP & Rookie of the Year plus the league scoring champion and most disappointing team. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian Windhorst is joined by ESPN's Tim MacMahon to break down the Klay Thompson buyout in Dallas and subsequent signing in Miami including if Miami has solved their biggest problem and where they fit into the Eastern Conference. Then, the guys discuss what this means for the future in Dallas with Cooper Flagg as the Mavs try to build around a young star. Finally, after an ownership change in Minnesota we discuss why this season is so critically important to the future of the Wolves and their superstar Anthony Edwards. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian Windhorst is joined by ESPN's Tim MacMahon and Dave McMenamin to break down the multiteam trade between the Cavs, Nuggets and Clippers highlighted by Cleveland getting Peyton Watson, Max Strus going to LA and Denver getting picks. The guys discuss what this means for each team in the deal including reaction to James Harden’s extension. Next, the guys tackle all of the drama surrounding the Lakers’ ownership from Jeanie Buss to Mark Walters. Finally, how will this impact the current team and Luka Doncic’s future in LA? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian Windhorst is joined by ESPN's Tim MacMahon and Vince Goodwill to break down the win totals for every team in the Eastern Conference including which lines are way too high, who is being overlooked and where the conference stands after some major shakeups. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian Windhorst is joined by ESPN's Tim MacMahon to break down the win totals for every team in the Western Conference including which lines are way too high, who is being overlooked and what team is most interesting to them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices