Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective

Episode: Trae Young Trade Reaction, End of a Dynasty For Warriors? & Sacramento Finds a Plan
Date: January 9, 2026
Host: Brian Windhorst (Wendy)
Guests: Anthony Slater, Vince Goodwill

Overview

This episode dives into seismic NBA shifts—namely, Trae Young’s surprising trade to the Washington Wizards and its bizarre context, reflections on the twilight of the Golden State Warriors dynasty, and the Sacramento Kings embracing a full rebuild. The group explores behind-the-scenes dynamics, implications of the new CBA, tanking incentives, and how different franchises are adapting (or failing to adapt) in 2026.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trae Young’s Trade to the Wizards: Deal or Dump?

• How the Trade Came Together:
  • Despite reports suggesting a quick negotiation, insiders reveal Trae Young’s move was months in the making as Atlanta (Hawks) and Young’s CAA agents searched for a landing spot anticipating his non-extension last summer. (05:00–05:20)
• Market for Trae Was Cold:
  • Many NBA teams considered Young a negative asset because of his contract (owed $50M next year) and perceived limited impact due to his stature and defensive liabilities.
    • Windhorst: “There were teams that saw Trey as somebody that you had to incentivize to take… not all 29 other teams, but there were teams that saw…” (04:20)
    • Vince: “He’s viewed as a negative asset throughout the league despite his talent, despite the numbers.” (09:02)
• Unusual Terms:
  • No draft capital changed hands. The Hawks accepted Corey Kispert’s mid-level contract as a “sweetener” instead.
    • “Washington getting off of that money, which would give them a little more cap flexibility… That’s sort of the… sweetener.” (07:13)
• Teams’ Motivation—Winning by Losing:
  • Both Atlanta and Washington see Young as net bad for their desired outcomes.
    • Atlanta: when Trae plays, the Hawks lose; when he sits, they win (because of defensive identity). (07:59)
    • Washington: likely to sideline Trae to avoid winning too much and retain their top-eight protected pick (10:53)
    • Windhorst: “Let me get this straight… One team doesn’t want to play him because they think… if they play him, they’re going to lose more. And then the exact same player, the other team thinks that if he does play… they’re going to win too many games…” (11:09)

Notable Quotes

• Vince: “Preferred destination is one thing, only destination might be more applicable.” (10:22)
• Slater: “It’s just a defensive rating thing, isn’t it? It’s just craters…” (07:59)

2. Warriors: The Dynasty at Dusk

• Draymond Green’s Turbulence and the Roster's Future:

  • Draymond’s recent issues—suspensions and on-court volatility—have (temporarily) calmed.
    • Slater: “A boiling over, an explosion and then a resettling… His focus level has been really good in the last week.” (21:41)
  • Anecdote: Draymond reads texts from his mom roasting his behavior and ejections (21:55)

• Steve Kerr’s Blunt Honesty—Possible Final Chapter:

  • Kerr, in the last year of his deal, is unusually open—possibly signaling a real last run.
  • Slater: “There’s a freedom to the way he’s operating. There’s a finality in the way he’s talking… he is going to tell you into a microphone how it’s all going down.” (23:10)
  • Kerr has called out that “we’re a fading dynasty,” confesses they can’t keep playing as before because the league has changed and the team’s margin for error is slim. (24:31)
  • Windhorst: “He was like, you know, we’re a fading dynasty, which is—it’s true…” (23:53)

• Legacy and Value:

  • Reflection on the astonishing careers of Steph Curry, Draymond, and Steve Kerr—both their on-court exploits and off-court influence.
    • Windhorst: “Steph Curry is one of the greatest gifts the league’s ever had. Steve Kerr’s had one of the most amazing careers of any player or coach in history.” (28:00)
  • The dynasty’s ending is described as a “long kiss goodbye,” likely not to be storybook.
    • Vince: “There isn’t a dynasty… where it ended cleanly… it always ends ugly. This just feels like a long kiss goodbye…” (30:01)

Notable Quotes

• Slater: “Steve’s analysis recently on the team [isn’t] incorrect… as somebody who covers the team now for over a decade, like, I enjoy the honesty.” (27:53)

3. Sacramento Kings: Finding a Plan in the Rubble

• From Playoff Hopes to Full Rebuild:

  • Massive front office flip (Monty McNair out, Scott Perry in), triggered by ownership’s past desperate and failed moves (e.g., DeRozan/Levine trades, firing Mike Brown post-extension).
    • Slater: “They rushed into a De’Aaron Fox trade and go get Zach LaVine… mainly because… [owner] Vivek adored the way Levine played… then the front office is fired, and they have to reset…” (32:39)
  • Perry’s approach: focus on youth, develop Keegan Murray, target a top-four pick, and bring in veterans (Westbrook, Schroeder) to teach professionalism—not win now. (38:00–39:00)
  • Ownership is “humbled” and allegedly hands-off (for now), as Vivek has “yanked the steering wheel” too abruptly in the past. (40:23)

• A Calm, Patient Rebuild?

  • Perry won’t call it a “rebuild” but admits: “We’ve got to get younger” and they’re taking “short-term pain for long-term gain.” (35:37)
  • Sacramento’s most valuable asset is their 2026 draft pick; all moves are designed to maximize their lottery odds and develop young talent. (43:04)
  • But can ownership remain patient? The group doubts stability if immediate results are lacking.
    • Slater: “I think it’s very fair to wonder… how patient they’ll ultimately be as an ownership group…” (41:05)

• Veteran Signings:

  • Westbrook, Schroeder are there to instill "grit" and work ethic, not to drive wins.

Notable Quotes

• Slater: “There’s an obvious plan here. It’s a deep rebuild that Scott Perry’s just taken over…” (32:39)
• Vince: “You have to be able to have the panache to tell an owner who might have a very big appetite—No, we’re not there…” (39:07)

4. Tanking, Lottery Reform, and Systemic Problems

• Current Incentives and Consequences:
  • Teams openly make personnel decisions to either maximize or minimize wins, depending on pick protections and the top of the draft.
    • Windhorst: “When good decisions are to not play your star players, when those are really good decisions, that's when you have a challenge.” (47:45)
• Lottery Reform Ideas:
  • Vince suggests: lock in lottery odds at the mid-season mark to stop end-of-season tanking marathons (46:15).
    • Slater notes: “Those two weeks before… [would] probably get weird” as teams rush to bottom out in advance. (47:06)
• Maintaining Parity:
  • Windhorst argues for the NBA’s socialistic structure, where weaker teams must have a chance to improve—especially relevant when some teams’ local TV deals are 20x larger than others (“The Lakers get approaching $200 million… Grizzlies get $11.7 million.”) (52:53)

Notable Quotes

• Windhorst: “I want the Grizzlies to exist. I don’t want there to be five teams… I want there to be teams in all these places.” (53:50)
• Vince: “There isn’t a dynasty… where it ended cleanly… this just feels like a long kiss goodbye.” (30:01)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments with Timestamps

• “Preferred destination is one thing, only destination might be more applicable.” — Vince Goodwill (10:22)
• “Let me get this straight. One team doesn’t want to play him because… they’re going to lose more. And the exact same player, the other team thinks… they’re going to win too many games…” — Brian Windhorst (11:09)
• “He’s viewed as a negative asset throughout the league despite his talent, despite the numbers.” — Vince Goodwill (09:02)
• “There’s a finality in the way [Steve Kerr]’s talking in a lot of ways.” — Anthony Slater (23:10)
• “There isn’t a dynasty… where it ended cleanly… this just feels like a long kiss goodbye.” — Vince Goodwill (30:01)
• “You have to have the panache to tell an owner who might have a very big appetite—No, we’re not there.” — Vince Goodwill (39:07)
• “When good decisions are to not play your star players… that's when you have a challenge.” — Brian Windhorst (47:45)
• “I want the Grizzlies to exist. I don’t want there to be five teams… I want there to be teams in all these places.” — Brian Windhorst (53:50)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Trae Young’s Trade Context: 02:30 – 14:00
• Warriors’ Dynasty and Draymond/Kerr Dynamics: 20:10 – 31:36
• Sacramento Kings’ Rebuild & Roster Philosophy: 32:11 – 44:00
• Tanking, Lottery Reform, Small Market Challenges: 44:00 – 56:14

Tone & Style

• Frank and self-aware: The insiders are candid about sources, mistakes, and the emotional costs for franchises in transition.
• Wry humor: There’s a friendly ribbing, especially regarding Steve Kerr, Draymond, and fan rituals like "lighting the beam."
• Occasional reminiscing: Moments such as Steph Curry’s “Exit 30” at Davidson, or legendary playoff games, tap into nostalgia without veering off-topic.

Summary

This episode offers a raw backstage pass into a shifting NBA. Trae Young’s trade to Washington is less blockbuster and more salary dump, exposing changing league-wide valuations. In San Francisco, the legendary Warriors face the inevitability of decline—with Kerr and Draymond embracing brutal honesty—while the Kings, under new management, finally tear down hope for quick fixes and instead build from scratch.

The discussion peels back the forces driving tanking and how the league’s efforts to balance competition often spark unintended consequences. Through it all, themes of adaptation, transparency, and the bittersweet arc of NBA dynasties take center stage—making this episode a must for fans wondering how teams really craft, or fumble, their long-term destinies.