Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective

Episode: NBA’s International Future & Western Conference Tiers
Release Date: October 17, 2025

Overview

In this two-part episode, Brian Windhorst, Tim Bontemps, and Tim MacMahon (plus guest James Jones, NBA EVP of Basketball Operations) provide a deep dive on two major themes:

• The NBA’s growing international footprint, especially the Middle East’s rising influence, future expansion, and its impact on fans and business.
• Their highly anticipated, definitive 2025-26 Western Conference "Tiers" rankings, sorting contenders, challengers, and bottom-feeders.

The conversation blends financial realities, global strategy, team evaluations, memorable anecdotes, and behind-the-scenes league insight, all in the sharp, informed, and sometimes irreverent tone listeners expect from the Hoop Collective.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The NBA’s Global Future & Middle East Investment

[03:45 - 19:10]

• Middle East Emerging as NBA’s Key International Partner

  • Windhorst recaps his reporting and trip to Abu Dhabi, describing it as a focal point for the NBA’s global expansion.
  • He discusses major figures like Mohammed Khalifa Al Mubarak ("the Chairman"), Abu Dhabi's wealth and strategy, and links with U.S. teams and brands (e.g., "Experience Abu Dhabi" on the Knicks’ jersey).
  • “While I was watching the Knicks and the Sixers...Adam Silver, Mark Tatum, a whole bunch of...lieutenants...were all there to have meetings with the folks in Abu Dhabi where they have billions of dollars that they want to invest in global sport.” — Brian Windhorst [03:06]
  • Ongoing plans include an NBA Europe expansion, with likely Abu Dhabi ownership of the Manchester team (where they already own Manchester City FC), and possible Qatari ownership in Paris.

• Why It Matters for Current NBA Fans

  • The panel discusses how foreign investment directly affects franchise valuations, ownership, and potentially the fan experience.
  • “It’s not about NBA Europe. It’s about the fact that the money is flowing into the league and could impact the way U.S. teams are owned and operated.” — Tim Bontemps [12:11]
  • The Lakers ownership change (Walter group) illustrates the indirect but significant role of Abu Dhabi capital in recent deals.

• Team USA and International Events: Chasing Money and Exposure

  • The hosts recount Team USA’s recent detours (flying to Abu Dhabi before Paris), massive sponsorship deals, and luxurious logistics, all tied to Middle Eastern funding.

• Rise and Risks of Globalization

  • NBA’s growing presence in Asia (China renewals, Philippines, India).
  • Comparisons with the English Premier League's transformation under sovereign wealth investments and potential future salary cap impacts.

• On Partnerships and Perceptions

  • Windhorst is candid about the complexities of partnering with nations seeking to improve global perceptions via sports, stressing the NBA’s strategic—sometimes uneasy—embrace of "dream investors."
  • “The future of global basketball runs through the Middle East, and for the NBA, runs through Abu Dhabi...” — Brian Windhorst [16:52]
  • “Adam Silver: ‘They are dream investors.’ That sums up where the NBA is at and where this is all pointed to moving forward. And it’s why it matters to fans.” — Tim Bontemps [18:47]

2. Western Conference Tiers for 2025-26

[19:10 - 61:28]

[Format: Each tier decided by hosts’ consensus; robust debate, off-cuff stats, and colorful skepticism]

Tier 1: The Heavy Favorites

[20:00 - 21:30]

• Oklahoma City Thunder
  • Unanimous solo pick: Bring back virtually the full championship roster; several ascending stars.
  • “Loaded, returns every contributor...and the vast majority of those guys are still ascending.” — Tim MacMahon [20:02]
  • “Has there ever...been a championship team that brought every player back?” — Windhorst [20:16]

Tier 2: Primary Challengers

[23:19 - 26:40]

• Denver Nuggets
  • Have the league’s best player and a proven system, still seen as OKC’s biggest threat.
• Houston Rockets
  • Youthful, ascending, and just added Hall-of-Famer Kevin Durant.
  • “The consensus is Denver and Houston.” — MacMahon [26:40]

Note: Slight disagreement on including Timberwolves, Warriors, and Clippers in this tier; consensus is these are Tier 3.

Tier 3: Next-Level Contenders

[26:44 - 37:38]

• Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, LA Clippers, LA Lakers
  • Some debate over "old" rosters (Clippers, Warriors), their ceiling vs. age and injury risks.
  • Lakers' fortunes are tied to LeBron’s health and Luka Dončić's MVP-level play.
  • “Their potential is going to be determined by LeBron's health and DeAndre Ayton's head.” — MacMahon [36:45]

Tier 4: Play-In Probables

[37:38 - 42:08]

• Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, San Antonio Spurs
  • Each team has a high variance: injury/question marks (e.g., Ja Morant out for Memphis).
  • Fit and rookie learning curves, especially with Dallas’s prodigy Cooper Flagg.
  • “This year should not be about Dallas trying to win a title. It should be about getting Cooper Flagg...as much experience as possible.” — Tim Bontemps [43:13]

Tier 5: Purgatory/Treadmill

[45:58 - 55:03]

• Sacramento Kings, Portland Trail Blazers, Phoenix Suns, New Orleans Pelicans
  • On the outside looking in; injury-prone, rebuilding, or stuck in the middle.
  • “There is a world in which [the Pelicans] could make the Play-In.” — Windhorst [49:34]
  • Running Pelicans King Cake bet for podcast if they make the playoffs.

Tier 6: Lottery/Developmental

[55:03 - 61:28]

• Utah Jazz
  • Highly flawed, very young, positioning for a top draft pick.
  • “Jazz are doing a lot of roster shenanigans...to try to give themselves the best chance to get Cooper Flagg or Dylan Harper in the draft.” — Bontemps [57:02]

3. Height Adjustments and League Humor

[58:11 - 60:30]

• Lighthearted round of examining official height corrections for players (Colin Sexton's "3-inch decrease").
• Windhorst jokes about his own listed height versus reality, and banter on media day measurement shenanigans.

4. Interview: James Jones, Executive Vice President, NBA Basketball Operations

[62:32 - 77:24]

Inside the League Office

• Why Take the Job?

  • Jones describes the motivation to join the league office as a career capstone, rounding out unique experiences as a player, union leader, and team executive.
  • “I've been a player, exec, but the last part was working for the league.” — James Jones [64:06]

• Perspectives and Priorities

  • Outlines day-to-day responsibilities: balancing integrity and competitive fairness, fielding calls from GMs, proactively resolving issues that affect players’ ability to perform (including sometimes surprising topics like arena lighting).
  • “My job is to push the game forward and help 30 teams, not just see it from the 30 different competitive lenses.” — Jones [71:15]

• Reflections on Union and Team Experience

  • He says union experience helps bridge understanding and clarify why rules exist and why each side holds the lines it does—but ultimately everyone wants what’s best for the game.
  • "At the end of the day, everyone's trying to play the game fair and trying to win." — James Jones [68:26]

• Global NBA Growth

  • Praises Silver and league leadership for global ambitions; shares anecdotes about earlier global games trips and how far international growth has come.
  • “When you go over there and see thousands of fans...many who have never seen a game live...you know you’re in the coolest sport in the world.” — James Jones [76:14]

• Tone and Takeaways

  • Interviews are open, respectful, insightful—with good-natured ribbing about the "czar" of discipline role and references to Jones’s playing career, including the famous “Harlem Shake” Heat video.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The future of global basketball runs through the Middle East and for the NBA runs through Abu Dhabi.”
  — Brian Windhorst [16:52]

• “Adam Silver: ‘They are dream investors.’ That sums up where the NBA is at and where this is all pointed to moving forward.”
  — Tim Bontemps [18:47]

• “The consensus is Denver and Houston...[as] Tier 2.”
  — Tim MacMahon [26:40]

• “There is a world in which [the Pelicans] could make the Play-In.”
  — Brian Windhorst [49:34]

• “This year should not be about Dallas trying to win a title. It should be about getting Cooper Flagg...as much experience as possible.”
  — Tim Bontemps [43:13]

• “My job is to push the game forward and help 30 teams, not just see it from the 30 different competitive lenses.”
  — James Jones [71:15]

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Topic | Timestamps | |---|---|---| | International NBA Strategies & Abu Dhabi | 03:45 – 19:10 | | Western Conference Tiers Discussion (Tiers 1–3) | 20:00 – 37:38 | | Play-In & Lower Tiers | 37:38 – 55:03 | | Rebuild/Lottery Teams & Height Banter | 55:03 – 61:28 | | Interview: James Jones | 62:32 – 77:24 |

Summary Table: Western Conference Tiers (Consensus)

| Tier | Teams | |---|---| | Tier 1 | Oklahoma City Thunder | | Tier 2 | Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets | | Tier 3 | Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, LA Clippers, LA Lakers | | Play-In | Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, San Antonio Spurs | | Purgatory/Lotto | Sacramento Kings, Portland Trail Blazers, Phoenix Suns, New Orleans Pelicans, Utah Jazz |

Final Thoughts

This episode delivers a comprehensive, candid—and frequently funny—exploration of both the NBA’s macro future and micro battles. The panel contextualizes seismic business changes, global market shifts, and real hardships of building a contender, all while keeping debates lively and accessible for NBA fans of any level.

The standout: The NBA is embracing Middle Eastern investment and globalization as never before, setting up a new era of both opportunity and scrutiny, while on the court, established and upstart teams sort into clear contender and rebuild groups for 2025-26.