The Athletic NBA Daily — "Clippers Perpetual Chaos + Tanking is Good" | Slam N Jam

Date: February 14, 2026
Hosts: Andrew Schlecht & Alex Spears | Guest: Law Murray (The Athletic, Clippers beat writer)

Episode Overview

This episode of "Slam N Jam" is a jam-packed, characteristically irreverent and deeply insightful exploration of all things NBA, with a particular focus on the Los Angeles Clippers, the phenomenon of tanking, and notable NBA news from the week. Co-hosts Andrew Schlecht and Alex Spears guide listeners through the latest league developments, share their “Good, Bad, What” takes, and welcome Clippers beat reporter Law Murray for an in-depth breakdown of the team’s rollercoaster season. The show is filled with sharp humor, trivia, strong opinions, and behind-the-scenes perspective—perfect for basketball obsessives and fans of chaos.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. NBA Weekly Recap

(Starts ~01:32)

• Trade Deadline Fallout:

  • James Harden to Cleveland; Cavs go 3–0 with him, Harden hits a crucial late-game shot vs. Denver.
    • Quote: "The Cavs are now 10-1 in their last 11...Could I have been more bold though?" (Alex, 01:52)
  • Jaren Jackson Jr. to Utah; starts strong each game, fades in the 4th quarter due to coaching strategy, then ruled out for the season with a knee issue.
  • Jazz fined $500k for resting starters; Thunder now also under investigation for similar conduct.

• Quirky Off-Court News:

  • Wizards mascot Gee Whiz reportedly hiring an attorney after being pushed by Lakers’ Jackson Hayes; hosts reassure listeners the mascot remains "immortal."
    • Quote: "Gee Whiz is immortal. He cannot be killed, much less injured. So do not worry about Gee Whiz." (Alex, 05:26)
  • Charlotte-Detroit brawl: multiple suspensions, including Isaiah "Beef Stew" Stewart getting 7 games due to his "history of loving to fight".

• Standings Surprises:

  • Pistons and Hornets on hot streaks; Hornets now "on pace to be a surprise team", per Andrew.
  • Spurs surging in the West, led by performances like Steph Castle's 40-point triple double and a monster half from Victor Wembanyama.

• Other Updates:

  • Jeremy Sohan (Spurs) waived, joins Knicks.
  • All-Star weekend participant selections; Adam Silver frames All-Star events as "content fodder for 200 social media creators."
    • Quote: "Rest assured, we're getting days of content fodder, folks...I cannot wait to consume the fodder being pumped out of the content factory this weekend." (Alex, 08:16)

2. Good, Bad, What Segment

(Starts ~09:13)

The Good

• Andrew: Nikola Topić's Thunder Debut

  • Topić returns from ACL surgery and cancer treatment to make NBA debut; acknowledges struggle and recovery.
    • Quote: “Rarely do we get these stories like this in the NBA that are feel-good moments for a guy who's overcome so much.” (Andrew, 11:13)
  • Topić overwhelmed, skips media, gets huge ovation in OKC.

• Alex: Tanking—An Unconventional Good

  • Alex lists four positives of tanking, countering conventional wisdom:
    1. Raises stakes and drama for the NBA draft lottery.
    2. Unites and galvanizes fanbases against common enemies.
       • Quote: “I would argue that tanking has this ability to galvanize a fan base…which is ultimately a good thing.” (Alex, 15:17)
    3. Turns fringe players into enduring cult heroes (e.g., Yorgos Kalaitzakis).
    4. Produces hilariously awkward moments when a team accidentally wins while trying to lose.
       • Quote: “Watching a team win a game they were trying to lose…I have never laughed that much at an NBA game.” (Alex, 16:52)

The Bad

• Andrew: Tanking Discourse—Can We Accept It?

  • Argues tanking is cyclical and often driven by the quality of the draft class.
  • NBA championship teams overwhelmingly feature top-10 picks; tanking sometimes the only way for smaller markets.
    • Quote: “Only three champions in like the last 40 or 50 years have won a championship without a top 10 pick that was either their first or second best player on the team.” (Andrew, 20:42)
  • Cites the “applaud the middle” paradox: teams get praised for trying until the consensus flips and fans demand a rebuild.

• Alex: The Houston Rockets' Clutch Struggles

  • Rockets good overall but poor in close games; questionable late-game decisions and subpar clutch shooting.
    • Quote: “When I’ve watched this team lately, just feels like the sum is always less than its parts.” (Alex, 27:36)

The What

• Andrew: Chris Paul's Retirement—A Confusing End

  • CP3 retires after a brief and unceremonious Clippers return; hosts lament he “didn’t get to go out on his own terms.”
    • Quote: “He just wants to play. And so it kind of came to a screeching halt for him, which is just a shame…” (Andrew, 30:02)
  • Hosts reflect on Paul’s complex NBA legacy—greatness, lack of ultimate title, and divisive personality.

• Alex: Revisiting First-Time All-Star Predictions

  • Recap of hosts’ preseason picks; Andrew nails 3-for-3 on Jalen Johnson, Chet Holmgren, Deni Avdija.
  • Fun banter on the unpredictability of NBA breakouts.

3. Clippers Deep-Dive: “Perpetual Chaos” with Law Murray

(Starts ~38:58)

A Season in Turmoil—and Triumph

• Clippers’ Wild Roster Turnover

  • Harden-for-Garland trade: Law emphasizes Harden’s habit of dictating his own fate and says Clippers “weren’t driving the bus” but responded smartly.
    • Quote: “James always drives the bus on where he’s going…he is going to let you know when he’s going, where he is going next and he’ll even pick out the return for you.” (Law, 41:03)
  • Zubac-to-Pacers: Law notes Clippers “needed to put a face to the prospective names,” highlights Matherin’s potential and the value of the Pacers’ picks.
  • Trades reflect balancing short-term continuity (Kawhi’s MVP-level play) and long-term asset flexibility.

• How They’ve Survived

  • Continuity and emergence of new rotation players: Clippers have withstood departures thanks to contributions from veterans like Brook Lopez and development of young cheap talent.
    • Quote: “These young guys are contributing, giving space to make mistakes and…Kobe Sanders just got promoted…Here he is getting consistent rotation minutes.” (Law, 45:16)
  • John Collins’ “inspirational heater” from outside cited as key.

The Sudden Development of Young Talent

• Young players Kobe Sanders and Jannik Niederhauser earning minutes—remarkable for the Clippers.
  • Law’s scouting report: Kobe Sanders is a versatile, 6'7" playmaking wing; Jannik is “one of the best vertical leaps at the combine,” extremely raw but developing.
  • Quote on Kobe: “He can dribble, pass and shoot…they called him a playmaking wing…he can do a whole lot of things across the positional spectrum.” (Law, 50:42)

Kawhi Contract Scandal Slow-Drip

• Hosts ask: what’s it like covering the team with so many off-court stories (Pablo Torre’s cap circumvention exposé)?
  • Quote: “The Clippers are not normal in any season…It’s been one thing after another…But the thing with the Clippers is they have been good.” (Law, 54:22)
  • Law describes it as “five different seasons” in one and notes the team’s constant need to adapt to new drama.

All-Star Weekend: Clippers Are the Host

• Law jokes about “200 influencers” at All-Star Weekend and looks forward to getting through the chaos with basketball and tea.
  • Quote: “Influencers, very close to influenza, and I ain’t get a shot. I might need another shot just to get through this weekend, bro.” (Law, 56:45)

4. Clippers Trivia: ‘Andrew vs. the Beat’

(Starts ~58:38, highlights below)

• Challenging, Clippers-centric trivia battle with Law; notably includes:
  • The evolution of the team’s three-point shooters (Batum's wild stat).
  • Clipps’ unlikely run of rookie contributors (Kobe Sanders).
  • Revisiting historical point-per-game leaders (Bob McAdoo, World B. Free).
  • Law wins by naming Bob McAdoo and World B. Free as the only franchise players with higher season scoring averages than Kawhi.

5. Wheel of Fandom: Next Week's Team Draw

(74:04)

• The hosts draw the Oklahoma City Thunder as their team to follow for next week.
  • Quote: “We have not gotten the Thunder since year one of Slam N Jam.” (Andrew, 74:07)

Notable Quotes

• “Rest assured, we’re getting days of content fodder, folks. Usually, you’d be lucky to get a couple hours of fodder, and this man is giving us days of it.”
  — Alex Spears on Adam Silver's All-Star strategy (08:16)

• “I mean, shoot, I got people texting me, being like, yo, you got shadow on the pod. It's like, bro, I was just doing my job, man. It's collateral damage being a part of the LA Clippers beat, bro.”
  — Law Murray describing Clippers beat life in the age of never-ending scandals (53:25)

• "Rarely do we get these stories like this in the NBA that are feel-good moments for a guy who's overcome so much. So I just thought that was good in a, in a game that was so bad for the Thunder."
  — Andrew, on Nikola Topić’s emotional NBA debut (11:13)

• “Tanking has this ability to galvanize a fan base, bring them together, which is ultimately a good thing.”
  — Alex, on why tanking isn’t all bad (15:17)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 01:32 — NBA weekly recap & headlines
• 09:13 — "Good, Bad, What" segment
• 38:58 — Clippers Deep-Dive with Law Murray
• 58:38 — Clippers Trivia: "Andrew vs. the Beat"
• 74:04 — Wheel of Fandom: Next week's team is the Thunder

Tone & Style

• Conversational, bantering, and irreverently intelligent, with regular sarcastic callbacks, deep basketball knowledge, and a willingness to poke fun both at the NBA's absurdities and their own predictions.
• Law Murray offers a uniquely vivid, world-weary but insightful insider’s take on the Clippers’ ongoing melodrama.
• Segments move briskly, balancing fan humor with analysis that will satisfy stat heads and more casual listeners alike.

This episode is a microcosm of modern NBA culture—part fever dream, part spreadsheet fever, and all extremely fun. Whether you love drama, tanking arguments, obscure trivia, or inside references, there’s something here for every basketball fan.