The Bill Simmons Podcast — Episode Summary

Episode: "Why Can’t the NBA Actually Fix the NBA? Plus, Super Bowl Hangover Stuff With Nick Wright and Bill’s Dad."
Date: February 11, 2026
Host: Bill Simmons
Guests: Nick Wright (First Things First), Bill Simmons Sr.

Overview

In this wide-ranging episode, Bill Simmons and guest Nick Wright dive deep into two core themes: the aftermath of the Patriots’ Super Bowl loss and the persistent, structural problems facing the NBA. The episode features an honest, sometimes fiery back-and-forth on sports legacies, quarterback futures, and why the NBA seems unable to address its most glaring issues. Bill’s dad joins at the end to dissect Boston sports and reminisce about decades of fandom. The conversation is candid, sometimes ranty, always entertaining, and packs plenty of insight for NBA and NFL diehards.

Key Discussion Points and Timestamps

1. Super Bowl Hangover and Dynasty Dissection

(00:00–36:07)

• Patriots’ Super Bowl Loss — Emotional Stages:
  • Bill describes “the five levels of Super Bowl losses,” ranking this year’s among the less traumatic defeats, but not without concern for Drake May’s performance.
  • Quote (12:02; Bill Simmons):
    “Level one. This is the easiest one. We put up a good fight and we easily could have won, but we didn’t ... you feel good. Like, we got there. We showed up. We didn't embarrass ourselves.”
• “Either Or” Games and Legacies:
  • They debate “either or” moments that altered dynasties for the Patriots and Chiefs.
  • Nick theorizes the butterfly effect of critical losses and how they influence coaching and personnel changes.
• Drake May: Concerns and Context:
  • Both hosts analyze May’s inconsistent playoff performances—was it injury, scheme, or inexperience?
  • Quote (19:49; Bill Simmons):
    “What was great about him during the season … there was a recklessness, in a good way ... it felt like this was more ‘I just gotta protect the ball.’”
• Quarterback Futures — Top 5 Debate:
  • A draft-style discussion of QBs for the next five years leads to Mahomes, Allen, May, Caleb, and Burrow/Herbert contending for top spots.
  • Nick criticizes the “Herbert defense industrial complex,” calling Herbert’s playoff meltdowns a red flag.
  • Quote (29:47; Nick Wright):
    “So here's because you included Burrow, I have a crazy stat for you ... Burrow and Lamar have played the exact same amount of games ... Last five years, Burrow and Lamar have both played 73 games.”
• Team-Building Philosophy — Build Through the Lines:
  • Bill and Nick agree that prioritizing offensive/defensive lines is more valuable than trading for a top WR like A.J. Brown.

2. Why Can’t the NBA Fix the NBA?

(36:07–1:18:06)

• All-Star Weekend and Skills Contests:
  • Bill’s exhausted by repetitive, uninspired Saturday night events ("nobody likes tall guys in the dunk contest"), and proposes fun tweaks like Caitlin Clark/Sabrina Ionescu facing NBA players in a 3-pt contest.
  • Quote (38:16; Bill Simmons):
    “Nobody likes tall guys in the dunk contest. I'm waiting to meet my first person who's like, hey, I heard they have three centers for the dunk contest. Can't wait.”
• State of the All-Star Game:
  • Nick jokes that the most compelling format might just be “white guys vs. black guys,” given current global rosters.
  • Both bemoan convoluted format tweaks.
• Core NBA Problems — Tanking, Schedule, Identity Crisis:
  • Three-Front War:
    1. Injury Epidemic:
       • Modern game is more physically taxing; soft-tissue injuries like Achilles tears affect younger stars.
       • LeBron’s comment:
         (51:12; Paraphrased)
         "Basketball is way harder to play now...there’s more running, more stop and start."
    2. Lost Identity:
       • Analytics revolution prioritizes style of play (3s over rim attacks) that undermines basketball’s traditional appeal—athleticism, “coolness.”
       • Radical fixes suggested: team-specific 3pt lines (a la Hollinger), three-point dunks, drastic rules to restore variety and highlight star power.
    3. Tanking Outrage:
       • Tanking has become more blatant than ever (see the Jazz and Grizzlies benching healthy stars in February). NBA’s lottery reforms haven’t worked since the infamous Elvin Hayes game in ’84—42 years later, the problem persists.
       • Quote (60:55; Bill Simmons):
         “And 42 years later, after this event…we have Laurie Markkanen and Jaren Jackson, completely healthy, not playing in fourth quarters. 42 years later, they have not figured this out.”
  • Potential Fixes:
    • Limit consecutive top-4 picks for teams.
    • Penalize teams falling below a minimum win threshold (with cap space and ticket revenue punishments).
    • Propose harsher, almost “dictatorial” commissioner intervention to finally stamp out the practice.
    • Revisit “every lottery team has equal odds” (with play-in teams then excluded).
    • Tie cap/competitive penalties to egregious tanking.

3. The NBA’s Leadership Crisis?

(1:18:06–1:39:00)

• Is Adam Silver a Wartime Consigliere?
  • Bill challenges Silver’s passivity: “We need mid-2000s David Stern...we might need a fucking asshole at this point.”
  • Both compare MLB’s successful, bold rule changes to the NBA’s reluctance, warning that “no sport has a lifetime license to importance.”
• Financial Realities — Why the Schedule Won’t Change:
  • Owners unwilling to sacrifice $12-$20m/year per team from lost games.
  • Tanking, in contrast, is fixable, but NBA refuses to enforce anti-tanking regulations already in the CBA.
• Cultural Rot and the Trickle-Down Effect:
  • NBA’s embrace of “load management,” reduced competitiveness, and tanking is already affecting college/mid-school basketball, with top recruits sitting out big games (Ben Simmons at LSU, current Kansas stars).
  • The problem: talent and depth in the NBA are at all-time highs, but competitive integrity and long-term growth are threatened.

4. Mini Michelob Ultra Six-Pack — NBA Mailbag Fun

(1:39:00–1:49:00)

• Short, irreverent Qs on James Harden’s “Small Game James” nickname, Giannis trade drama, the Ewing Theory, and the comedy of Bulls-Kings trade pipeline.
• Bill highlights Jamal Murray as a potential All-Star Game hero for “caring.”
• Lighter, fast-paced, and full of running NBA inside jokes.

5. Boston Sports Check-in with Bill’s Dad

(1:49:00–End)

• Celtics’ Trade, Title Window, and Guard Dynamics:
  • Dad laments the loss of Simons, worries about team chemistry, and questions if Tatum returning will disrupt “Jaylen’s team.”
  • They discuss cap moves and why teams swing in and out of the NBA tax.
• Patriots Reflection:
  • Despite the pain of the Super Bowl loss, Bill’s Dad is optimistic about a 9–8 year, likes the chemistry, and is sympathetic about Drake May’s injury.
  • Quote (108:28; Bill's Dad):
    “This was all gravy. I mean, we were in the Super Bowl. Nobody expected that.”
• Red Sox Roster Moves and Ownership Philosophy:
  • Talk turns to underwhelming Red Sox spending, the legacy of the ’18 title, and the pattern of cost-cutting since.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the NBA’s Decision-Making:
  • "If you can’t explain it in a sentence, fire the guy who came up with the idea.” (46:12; Bill Simmons)
• On Fixing Tanking:
  • "All it takes is a stern will to actually enforce your rules on the books." (80:28; Nick Wright)
• On the Importance of Star Power:
  • "You can't be a league where you are just stars, stars market ... and by the way, if you go see a game the stars may or may not play, it’s a disaster." (73:56; Nick Wright)
• On the NBA’s Nostalgia Problem:
  • “There are these giant warts that seem so obvious. To not be directly attacking them head on is frustrating...” (89:53; Nick Wright)
• On NBA’s Future Compared to NFL:
  • “This is my whole life ... up until probably 10 years ago at most. I'll be honest, probably till Mahomes came into my life, I would have said the NBA is my favorite by a mile. And now I don't feel that way ...” (75:19; Nick Wright)

Episode Structure & Flow

• Opening: Bill announces guests, sets emotional stage after Patriots’ Super Bowl loss.
• Main Block 1: Post-mortem on the Patriots’ run, with detailed analysis on how dynasties are built and broken.
• Main Block 2: Sharp pivot to the NBA’s systemic problems, using All-Star weekend as a jumping-off point for a wide-ranging critique.
• Mid-Episode Mailbag: Bill’s signature humor and NBA nerdery in the Six Pack segment.
• Closing: Personal, cathartic Boston sports round-table with his dad; ends on warm, wistful notes of sports fandom through generations.

For Listeners Who Missed It

This episode is equal parts therapy session, NBA/NFL clinic, and policy roundtable. Bill and Nick dissect not only what happened on the field/court, but why the leagues make the (sometimes infuriating) decisions they do—and what it would take to truly fix them. The NBA takes center stage in the latter half, with tanking, injuries, and league identity getting skewered in classic Simmons fashion. The guest chemistry is top shelf, the rants are cathartic, and fans of both leagues will find plenty to chew on—along with some much-needed laughs.

Select Key Timestamps

• Super Bowl dynasty fallout: 00:00–17:16
• Drake May concern/debate: 17:16–35:53
• NBA All-Star/tanking rant: 36:07–1:18:06
• Commissioner leadership crisis: 1:18:06–1:39:00
• Mini NBA mailbag: 1:39:00–1:49:00
• Boston sports w/ Bill’s dad: 1:49:00–end

Tone: Familiar, enthusiastic, occasionally exasperated, with a perfect blend of sports-nerd deep dives, humorous dad banter, and sharp cultural analysis.