Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd Episode: Hour 3 - Sauce Gardner Extension, A Return for Nick Saban?
Release Date: July 15, 2025
Host/Authors: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume
Description: The Herd with Colin Cowherd is a thought-provoking, opinionated, and topic-driven journey through the top sports stories of the day.

1. NBA Summer League Performances

Colin Cowherd kicks off the discussion by expressing his initial reluctance to fully embrace the NBA Summer League, viewing it primarily as a platform for rotational players. However, he acknowledges standout performances that defy his expectations.

• Yang Hansen (Portland Blazers):

  • Cowherd: "Yang Hansen... his ability at 7:1 to get shots for other people was sort of a wow. His basketball IQ, there's some Sengoon, there's some Jokic that was like eye-opening for a 21-year-old."

• Cooper Flag (Dallas Mavericks):

  • Cowherd: "Cooper Flag scoring 31 of 69 points for the Mavs... drawing fouls, those were the two players in the summer league that were really wow to me."

Anthony Slater, senior writer for The Athletic, concurs, highlighting the complexity of translating Summer League success to the NBA.

• Slater [04:02]: "There's always a question of how transferable these performances are to an NBA setting... Cooper Flag comes in as a really polished all-around player."

Slater also raises concerns about the sustainability of these players' performances at the professional level, particularly focusing on their roles and defensive capabilities.

2. Jonathan Kuminga’s Future with the Warriors

The conversation shifts to Jonathan Kuminga, a promising young player whose future with the Golden State Warriors is under scrutiny.

• Cowherd [05:23]: "If you can't play with Steph Curry and a lot of these young guys can't, then what's the value of Kuminga? What do you think they are going to do with him?"

Slater [06:19]: "I would still predict he comes back. Just because of the market dynamics... The new CBA restricted free agency gives the Warriors a level of asset control here."

Slater discusses the complexities of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and the challenges in finding suitable trade partners willing to offer enough assets in a sign-and-trade scenario.

• Slater: "They need bench scoring, they need scoring on nights. Those guys either don't have it or are not out there."

Both hosts speculate on the likelihood of Kuminga re-signing with the Warriors or being traded in the future, considering the team's needs and salary cap constraints.

3. Ownership Strategies: Dodgers vs. Lakers

Cowherd draws parallels between the ownership strategies of the Dodgers and the Lakers, emphasizing the importance of building a strong foundational team before making big moves.

• Cowherd [07:56]: "When Mark Walter and that group bought the Dodgers, they went and got the best GM in the sport in Tampa, Friedman. They built the R&D, they built scouting, and then they started going big on game hunting."

He suggests that the Lakers are adopting a similar approach, focusing on acquiring star players under favorable contracts to maintain flexibility.

• Cowherd: "The best thing you can have in the NBA is a superstar in his prime under contract. That's a good contract."

4. Giannis Antetokounmpo's Potential Move

The potential trade of Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks is a hot topic of discussion.

• Cowherd [10:06]: "I think Giannis is going to move, historically, Europe. I always say this, when I go to Europe, I tip better. I'm probably more gracious."

Slater [11:11]: "The Bucks front office is clearly operating under the assumption that he'll be there next year... if he is trading, it's almost malpractice of roster building."

They debate the Bucks' commitment to Giannis and the implications of such a move on the team's future competitiveness.

5. Oklahoma City Thunder’s Roster Moves

Cowherd and Slater delve into the Oklahoma City Thunder’s recent decisions to extend contracts with young players like Shea Seals (SGA) and Jaden Dillard (J Dub).

• Cowherd [12:12]: "They gave Chet SGA and J Dub all massive money. It limits flexibility."

Slater [13:05]: "It's almost like the team is going to start to lose around them."

They analyze the long-term impact of these contracts on the Thunder’s salary cap and roster flexibility, noting Sam Presti’s strategic prowess in maintaining a balance between star players and role players.

6. NFL Updates

a. Jets’ Trey Smith Extension

The podcast shifts focus to the NFL, highlighting the New York Jets' significant contract extension for guard Trey Smith.

• J. Mac [20:01]: "The Chiefs have locked up guard Trey Smith on a four-year, $94 million extension, making him the highest-paid guard in NFL history."

• Cowherd: "Trey Smith is one of Brett Veach's great draft picks."

They commend the Jets for securing a reliable interior lineman, discussing his performance and the broader trend of teams investing heavily in interior line positions.

b. Terry McLaurin's Contract Holdout

Cowherd addresses Terry McLaurin of the Washington Football Team, who is holding out for a new contract after an impressive season.

• Cowherd [21:36]: "Terry McLaurin has produced around this top 10 wide receiver salary area. He certainly should be in there, but he's getting up there in age."

• J. Mac [23:31]: "He deserves it. I think you have to give it to him."

They debate the necessity of retaining McLaurin to maintain the team's offensive stability, comparing his importance to that of elite guards and linebackers.

7. College Football Coaching: Nick Saban's Future

A significant portion of the episode revolves around the speculation of Nick Saban potentially returning to coaching, either in the NFL or remaining in college football.

• Cowherd [24:13]: "I asked Eric Mangini what you would advise Nick Saban to do... I would advise him to go to pro football."

• Slater [41:26]: "It's like I always said, don't do another sitcom. You left as number one. If you were to return, it would have to be with a pro team."

They discuss the current landscape of college football, including NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) and the transfer portal, analyzing whether Saban's expertise could be more effectively utilized in the NFL given the challenges in the collegiate system.

8. NBA Prospects: Bronny James

The conversation wraps up with a focus on Bronny James, highlighting his improvement and potential as a rotational player in the NBA.

• J. Mac [25:36]: "Bronny James has improved dramatically. Last night he had 17 points and 5 assists in a loss to the Clippers."

• Cowherd [25:52]: "He is athletic. That's undeniable. And he's a really bright kid. Always says the right thing. Smart players have self-awareness."

They express optimism about James's future in the NBA, emphasizing his work ethic and understanding of his role on the team.

Notable Quotes

• Anthony Slater [04:02]: "There are always a question of how transferable these performances are to an NBA setting."
• Slater [06:19]: "The new CBA restricted free agency gives the Warriors a level of asset control here."
• Cowherd [07:56]: "The best thing you can have in the NBA is a superstar in his prime under contract."
• Cowherd [10:06]: "I think Giannis is going to move, historically, Europe."
• Slater [13:05]: "It's almost like the team is going to start to lose around them."
• Cowherd [21:36]: "Terry McLaurin has produced around this top 10 wide receiver salary area."
• Cowherd [24:13]: "I would advise him to go to pro football."
• Cowherd [25:52]: "Smart players have self-awareness."

Conclusion

In this episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, the hosts delve deep into a variety of sports topics, from emerging talents in the NBA Summer League to strategic roster moves in the NFL and speculative discussions about one of college football's most renowned coaches. With expert insights from Anthony Slater and engaging commentary from J. Mac, listeners are treated to a comprehensive analysis of current sports narratives, enriched by notable quotes and thoughtful debate.

Note: The podcast transcript contained numerous advertisements and non-content sections, which have been excluded from this summary to maintain focus on the substantive discussions.