Podcast Summary: Windy’s Rant: Done With Tanking & More + Spurs Finishing Strong & Knicks Rollercoaster

Podcast: Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective
Date: February 13, 2026
Host: Brian Windhorst
Panel: Anthony Slater, Vince Goodwill

Episode Overview

In this lively episode, Brian Windhorst opens with a signature “rant,” declaring his intention to retire from a handful of well-worn NBA topics, including tanking, All-Star Weekend gripes, and the Jonathan Kuminga saga. Joined by Anthony Slater and Vince Goodwill, the crew pivots from Windy’s rant into thoughtful, sometimes irreverent analysis on the NBA landscape—focusing on the surging Spurs, the Knicks’ extreme highs and lows, the remarkable play of Kawhi Leonard, and the evolving meaning and incentives of All-Star Weekend. Along the way, the insiders share industry stories, dissect team dynamics, and poke fun at themselves and each other.

Windy's Edicts: Retiring Tired NBA Topics

[03:04–07:27]

• Windhorst issues a “self-imposed moratorium” on certain discussion topics:
  • No more talking about tanking before March:

    “With peace and love, I am not going to discuss the tanking situation anymore prior to March.” (B, 03:25)

  • Refuses to speculate about controversial injuries or the motives of teams suspected of tanking, stating he won’t analyze situations like Jaren Jackson Jr.’s injury and its trade implications.
  • Acknowledges the pressure on franchises like Washington, Sacramento, Indiana, and Utah to “do what they have to do”:

    “These teams have to do what they have to do. If I was in their situations, I would do it.” (B, 05:39)

• Bows out of All-Star Weekend debates, especially gripes about player participation, celebrity contest rosters, dunk contest oddities, and faux-nationalistic Team World rosters:

  “I am not going to talk about how Mac McClung said that he didn’t go in the dunk contest... I’m not going to talk about that. I do not care about the world Team... Not going to talk about it, Vince. You are there. I will rely on your coverage.” (B, 06:16)

• Jonathan Kuminga coverage is off-limits—unless new events occur. He praises Slater’s reporting but expresses “fatigue” on the Warriors-Kuminga saga.

  • “With peace and love, Slater, I hope that he averages 20 and 10 the rest of the season with Atlanta... I’m not talking about Kaminga anymore.” (B, 07:31, 15:41)

• Notable banter:
  • Vince likens Windhorst’s edicts to “the drunk uncle at a wedding rehearsal dinner airing grievances and then saying ‘I support it’” (D, 04:41).

What the Kuminga Saga Was Really About

[10:12–16:11]

• Slater unpacks why the Kuminga storyline escalated:
  • It was “about so much more than Kuminga”—symbolizing the Warriors’ struggle to transition eras and manage “dynasty politics.”
    • “This was about the Warriors. This was about this brand franchise in the fading days of one of the most popular players in NBA history... And the castle politics of it all.” (C, 11:09)
  • The human element of Steve Kerr struggling to connect with Kuminga—contrasted with his rapport with other players—was a recurring theme. Vince speculates Kerr was “eaten up” by failing to reach Kuminga, leading to ecosystem toxicity (D, 13:46).
  • Slater notes Warriors internally shifted approach:

    “They told Jonathon Kaminga to his face and told the world, now you’re trade bait. And in a lot of ways, I think that freed Steve Kerr to coach him however he wanted to.” (C, 15:04)

Kawhi Leonard: Quietly the Best in the NBA Right Now?

[20:38–27:40]

• The panel praises Kawhi Leonard’s dominant, under-the-radar season:
  • Kawhi’s “mechanical” perfection compared to late-90s Michael Jordan:

    “Kawhi looks like a very mechanical version of 96 to 98 Michael Jordan... I’m saying the aesthetic.” (D, 21:01)

  • Kawhi’s stats (after 41 games): 28 PPG (career high), 2.1 SPG (league high), near-50/40/90 splits (B, 23:01, 24:10)
  • Vince and Windhorst debate the MVP race and Kawhi’s durability, referencing Jokic’s recent post-injury struggles.
  • Kawhi could become “the most fascinating trade candidate” if contract issues escalate (C, 24:10).
  • The group discusses the “aspiration” contract scandal:
    • Windhorst: “What rule is [Kawhi] breaking? He’s not in charge of giving himself money.” (B, 25:36)
    • Vince: “You can ask for whatever you want if someone gives it to you.” (D, 25:43)

NBA Team Food & Ownership Wealth

[29:04–31:10]

• Windhorst recalls the excess of Clippers’ playoff team food as a metaphor for Steve Ballmer’s ultra-wealth:

  • “I’ve never seen a spread like this in my life. I’ve gone to many wedding receptions for a hundred people that didn’t cost what they were serving.” (B, 29:38)

• Ballmer recently lost $20 billion in Microsoft stock—“but it’s just 12% of his net worth.” (B, 30:17–30:41)

Spurs: Surging and Serious

[31:10–36:33]

• The team analyzes the Spurs’ late-season momentum, led by Victor Wembanyama:
  • Wemby’s recent domination (e.g., 37 points in a half, incredible blocks, and rapid improvement):

    “Everything... looks so easy for Big Vic, it looks like he’s toying with the league... he’s nowhere near where he’s ultimately going to wind up.” (D, 34:46)

  • Slater impressed by the seriousness and resilience; even after a nasty fall, key players return fast, signaling grit and urgency (C, 35:03).
  • Spurs are closing the gap in the standings, with home-court in sight, thanks to “serious nature” and buy-in throughout the roster.

NBA All-Star Game: Lost Incentive

[36:33–42:25]

• Windhorst explains why the All-Star Game’s importance has faded:
  • The financial incentive for stars to compete hard has evaporated with massive salary growth (highest paid players: $16M in 2015 → $54M in 2026). Players no longer “need” the exposure or bonuses (B, 38:00–39:26).
  • Vince: “This is the ‘you can’t make me’ generation... Everybody’s thinking about themselves, right? The players... the teams... Nobody’s thinking of themselves as a business partner in this enterprise.” (D, 39:41)
  • Windhorst: “Growing the game is code for growing your paycheck.” (B, 40:49)
  • Kobe Bryant’s retirement marked the end of visible intra-player accountability. Fear of public ridicule on social media saps competitive effort in showcase games (B, 41:23, D, 41:27).
  • Vince bluntly: “They’ve become such snowflakes to some degree.” (D, 42:09)
  • Slater & Windhorst joke about breaking Windy’s own “no All-Star talk” rule

Knicks: Wild Swings, Real Title Hopes?

[46:05–57:23]

• Windhorst summarizes the Knicks’ recent rollercoaster: crushing the Celtics, collapsing as 15-point favorites vs. Indiana, dominating again vs. Philly.
  • Vince: “Their highs are so high and their lows are so low... The question is, you don’t know what to believe.” (D, 48:30)
  • Can a swingy, high-variance team win three straight playoff series? Vince doubts it: “A team like that can win two playoff series, a third... they’re going to capitalize on those [flaws].” (D, 50:04)
  • Windhorst: “You make a great point... the difference between winning two playoff series and three or four... The level of competition you step up to—wow, this is another level.” (B, 51:13)
  • Cites Durant's veteran perspective:

    “Do you know what the difference is between winning seven playoff games and winning 16 is.” (B, 52:25)

  • The panel agrees regular season results are often irrelevant in the playoffs:

    “Different sport. Playoffs and regular season. Different sport.” (D, 57:59)

  • Insider whispers say “New York’s the best team [in the East],” but everyone hedges: “Will they play the best when it counts?” (B, 54:27–55:04, D, 54:55)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “With peace and love, I am not going to discuss the tanking situation anymore prior to March.”
  — Brian Windhorst [03:25]
• “This was about so much more than Jonathan Kaminga. This was about the Warriors... and the castle politics of it all.”
  — Anthony Slater [11:09]
• “Kawhi looks like a very mechanical version of 96 to 98 Michael Jordan... I know what I’m saying.”
  — Vince Goodwill [21:01]
• “Growing the game is code for growing your paycheck. That’s code. So if the paycheck is already exploding, what incentive do you have to do that?”
  — Brian Windhorst [40:49]
• “Everybody’s cashing in on nostalgia but not creating any. Like... what classic things are we creating now?... We are just cashing in on it.”
  — Vince Goodwill [39:51]
• “Their highs are so high and their lows are so low... The question is, you don’t know what to believe. Because their highs are so high and their lows are so low.”
  — Vince Goodwill [48:30]

Timestamps: Key Segments

• Windy’s decree on retiring tanking/ASG/Kuminga talk: [03:04–07:27]
• Kuminga/Wizards Warriors dynamics unpacked: [10:12–16:11]
• Kawhi Leonard’s MVP run, trade speculation, and Ballmer’s wealth: [20:38–31:10]
• Spurs ascendancy, Wembanyama’s stardom, and injury resilience: [31:10–36:33]
• All-Star Game malaise: money, culture, and lost incentives: [36:33–42:25]
• Knicks’ rollercoaster, playoff readiness, and value of experience: [46:05–57:23]

Tone and Style

The conversation is wide-ranging and candid, mixing knowing insider analysis with self-deprecating humor. The hosts toggle easily between irreverence (Windy’s “peace and love” rants and food stories) and thoughtful, nuanced takes on serious NBA themes. Panelists poke fun at each other while also sharing genuine concern for player welfare, league culture, and competitive implications.

Summary prepared for those seeking in-depth coverage of major NBA discussion points, key storylines, and the ever-shifting league landscape—minus the tired rants and ad breaks.