Podcast Summary
Podcast: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg (ESPN New York)
Episode: Hour 1: Fixing the NBA
Date: February 16, 2026
Overview
This lively episode centers on the current challenges facing the NBA: rampant tanking, load management, and the general devaluation of the regular season. Hosts Don Hahn and Dave Rothenberg (with contributions from Ty Butler and callers) debate reasons for these issues, revisit the NBA All-Star weekend and its improvements, and brainstorm possible radical solutions to “fix” the NBA. The conversation is passionate, varied, and taps into both the big-picture woes of the sport and the finer details of recent league events.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
Giants’ Super Bowl Hopes Debate (00:30–09:27)
- Opening banter: The show kicks off with a tongue-in-cheek reflection on Dave Rothenberg’s optimism about the New York Giants winning a Super Bowl in the next five years, which both entertains and segues into how quickly things can change in sports.
- Comparisons to recent NFL turnarounds: Reference is made to recent quick success stories—Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots with Drake May—as examples of how "a real quarterback and coach" can transform fortunes fast.
- Skepticism vs. Optimism: Dave Rothenberg is called “nuts” for his take but defends (with Don occasionally supporting him) the notion that big turnarounds are possible in the NFL’s current landscape.
“Could the Giants not do the same thing?”
— Don Hahn (02:05)
Who's the Best President in NY Sports? (09:36–10:50)
- Side discussion on New York’s top sports executives, driven by President’s Day and poking fun at the proliferation of “president” titles in sports front offices.
- Consensus: Leon Rose (Knicks) currently leads, with Brian Cashman (Yankees), despite criticism, as a reluctant runner-up.
“I mean, you could make a case for the Islander GM Darsh... but they kind of got lucky with winning the lottery with Matthew Schaefer.”
— Don Hahn (10:12)
NBA All-Star Weekend Recap: Redemption & Format Changes (10:57–17:58)
- All-Star Game format praised: Hosts commend the NBA for producing a more competitive All-Star Game. Both admit some confusion about the new format but recognize improved competitiveness and effort, especially due to the “World vs USA” element.
- Stars and moments: Shout-outs to Kawhi Leonard’s scoring (31 in a quarter), Anthony Edwards (MVP for the new format), and Wembanyama setting an early tone.
- Event critiques: The dunk contest is deemed “a mess”—lacking stars, novelty, and excitement. Both hosts argue interest has dwindled, and the three-point shootout should now be the main event.
"You got competitive basketball from the best players on the planet. And I just think... that has to go down as a success.”
— Dave Rothenberg (11:49)
“If you're not going to have the best guys doing [the dunk contest], I'm not interested. I haven't watched it in years.”
— Don Hahn (17:01)
The NBA’s Tanking Crisis—Root Causes and Solutions (19:21–26:29)
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Tanking worse than ever: The hosts contend that NBA tanking is now more flagrant than in any other sport (“throwing away complete seasons”), exacerbated by analytics and misaligned incentives.
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Adam Silver’s response: Silver’s recent comments (“Yes, is my view [that tanking is worse]... teams have to be on notice.” – 21:17) are discussed, with hosts questioning whether his approach is strong enough.
“It's a disgrace. Tanking happens in a lot of sports…but basketball, I mean, it is teams…”
— Dave Rothenberg (20:25) -
Radical suggestions:
- Eliminate the traditional draft—make all players free agents with salary allotments (though the idea is met with skepticism over practicalities).
- Make the draft lottery entirely random to remove the incentive for losing.
- Penalties for serial tankers—like restrictions on back-to-back top picks.
NBA Load Management & Season Structure Problems (33:54–39:53)
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Load management woes: Load management has spiraled, alienating fans by treating regular seasons as meaningless. Discussion of how injuries (many severe, e.g., torn Achilles for Halliburton and Tatum) stem in part from the sport’s increased speed and strain.
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Shorten the season? Hosts propose reducing games (70 as a target) and/or fewer playoff teams to drive up the value of each game. They note financial resistance from owners and players to a shorter season.
"Basketball has never been harder to play... And so…guys are just getting hurt more."
— Dave Rothenberg (34:07)“I just don't see any scenario where the owners and the players would ever shrink the regular season because that's less revenue for both parties.”
— Don Hahn (35:31) -
Basketball vs. Baseball/Hockey analogies: Don argues that other sports post every game despite heavy schedules, questioning why NBA stars can’t do the same; Dave counters that basketball’s physical demands differ greatly from baseball’s.
Call-In Segment: Listener Solutions (31:30–51:09)
- Caller Ideas:
- Reward play-in teams via draft lottery tweaks (rejected due to loopholes/incentives for “reverse tanking”).
- Make lottery based on previous year’s record (hosts: tankers will still strategize and find loopholes).
- Deny back-to-back top-three picks to the same team.
- Radical randomness: Fully randomize draft, decoupling losses from draft position entirely, though this could let great teams luck into more talent.
- Punitive measures: Take away cap space or draft picks from serial tankers (deemed tricky due to player union and unintended consequences).
“If you give teams any sort of incentive where losing could potentially get you a better draft pick…they're going to lose.”
— Don Hahn (50:00)
Final Thoughts: Can the NBA Be Fixed? (45:49–51:09)
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Silver vs. Stern comparison: Don maintains problems like tanking and load management wouldn’t have "gotten out of hand" under David Stern, blaming Silver for lacking a firmer hand with owners and players.
“He always tries to appease his players…I just think there's times you need to be spearheading the game.”
— Don Hahn (45:18) -
No perfect fix: Both admit that while progress is being made in the discussion, there’s no clear solution; radical changes, player accountability, and a leadership shift may all have to converge.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On the NBA’s main issue:
- “It’s a crisis point for the league...I just think it’s embarrassing. You’ve got to make some radical changes.” — Dave Rothenberg (21:59)
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On lack of star power in the dunk contest:
- "If you're not going to have the best, the best guys doing it, I'm not interested...I don't care." — Don Hahn (17:01)
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On player responsibility:
- “There’s professional pride involved. The bare minimum you could do is show up and play. And other sports, the players show up and play…” — Don Hahn (42:14)
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On possible draft reforms:
- “Just make it completely random every year...no matter what, we’ve seen the NBA a couple years ago try and make it even tougher...that hasn’t stopped any team from tanking.” — Don Hahn (24:02)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 00:30 — Giants optimism & rapid NFL turnarounds debate
- 09:36 — Discussing NY’s best President of Basketball Operations
- 10:57 — All-Star Game weekend recap; format changes, dunk contest woes
- 11:49 — Praise for new All-Star format fostering competition
- 15:02 — LeBron's dunk contest legacy & decline of star participation
- 19:21 — NBA tanking problem: causes, Silver’s response, and proposals
- 33:54 — Load management & season-shortening debate
- 38:05 — “Make playoffs harder to reach” as a competitive incentive
- 45:49 — Can Adam Silver fix the NBA? Calls for firmer leadership
- 46:05 — Callers suggest fixes; hosts debate practicality and loopholes
- 50:00 — Conclusion: removing all incentives for losing is the real solution
Tone:
Conversational, irreverent, knowledgeable, passionate. Hosts are unafraid to question authority, mock each other, and challenge conventional wisdom, often employing New York sports talk bravado and humor even while tackling serious league-wide issues.
For New Listeners:
This episode is a must-listen for NBA fans—especially those passionate (and frustrated) about the state of the regular season. It's also a treat for anyone interested in how sports leagues could actually attempt to reform themselves, full of real-talk, bold ideas, and unfiltered debate.