Podcast Summary: THE HERD - Hour 1

Date: February 20, 2026
Host: Jason McIntyre (in for Colin Cowherd)
Co-Host: Rachel Nichols
Network: Fox Sports Radio / iHeartPodcasts and The Volume

Episode Overview

This hour dives deep into several major NBA narratives: Adam Silver’s mission to end tanking, the surprising rise of the Detroit Pistons, the realism around the Knicks' title hopes, and the escalating drama of NBA superstars potentially changing teams. The latter half shifts to NFL off-season stories, most notably the state of the Baltimore Ravens and league-wide coaching hires, and then back again to NBA speculation around LeBron's farewell, Lakers’ strategies, and the future of Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Detroit Pistons’ Statement Win and Realistic Knicks Expectations

[00:57 – 06:15]

• Detroit Pistons Beat Knicks (again):

  • Pistons have the NBA’s best record and swept the Knicks 3-0, including a dominant MSG win without two of their key rotation players (Jalen Duran & “Beef Stew,” both suspended).
  • Cade Cunningham exploded for 42 points at MSG.
  • Knicks’ media and fans are panicking—clamoring for “Giannis” and overreacting to regular-season losses.

• Historical Context for Knicks Overreactions:

  • Jason compares Knicks' situation to past dominant regular-season teams (Raptors with Lowry/DeRozan, Pacers with Paul George, Bulls with Derrick Rose), all brought back to Earth by LeBron in the playoffs.
  • “Let’s not overreact to a February loss... This kind of thing happens often in the East.” — Jason McIntyre [03:11]
  • Despite the Pistons' success, Jason emphasizes their lack of playoff history (“Haven’t won a playoff series since Obama was president”), and he still leans toward the Knicks’ superior talent and playoff mettle in a long series.

• Takeaway: Don’t prematurely crown the Pistons or bury the Knicks.

2. Adam Silver vs. NBA Tanking: Can It Be Stopped?

[06:15 – 14:10]

• Adam Silver’s Comments:
  Adam Silver addresses GMs directly, declaring intent to curb tanking:

  • “The league is 80 years old. It's time to take a fresh look at this... What we're seeing right now is not working.” — Adam Silver [07:33]

• Jason's Analysis:

  • 2026 is an outlier year for tanking due to a draft that’s being compared to 1984, 1996, and 2003.
  • The incentive structure is broken: Losing is the fastest route to a superstar in the NBA, unlike other major sports.
  • “Show me the incentive, I’ll show you the outcome.” (attributing to Charlie Munger) [08:03]
  • Cites examples: LeBron with Cleveland, Wembanyama in San Antonio, Duncan to the Spurs—all results of successful tanking.
  • “You will never fully expel tanking from the NBA. It's just not going to happen.” — Jason McIntyre [13:15]

• Rachel Nichols’ Perspective [13:34]:

  • “Tanking is a symptom, not the problem…there aren’t that many avenues for bad teams to get better…They’re doing that because they have to. You have to give them other ways.” — Rachel Nichols [13:42]

3. Baltimore Ravens: Coaching Upheaval and Lamar Jackson’s Future

[16:37 – 22:39]

• Organizational Overhaul:

  • Jesse Minter hired as HC; Declan Doyle (age 29, same as Lamar) named new offensive coordinator.
  • Jason questions the fit: Doyle is inexperienced, hasn’t called plays, was a youth baseball standout before shifting to coaching.

• Lamar Jackson’s Friction:

  • No public goodbye to outgoing coach John Harbaugh; new contract likely to be contentious (baggage from previous negotiation).
  • Doyle praises Lamar’s ceiling but stresses needing to mutually build trust:
    • “That trust is going to be earned through time. It’s really going to be a two-way street.” — Declan Doyle [20:51]
  • Lamar is notorious for skipping voluntary OTAs; now with a new staff, what kind of leadership will he show?
  • Jason signals possible trouble in Baltimore, especially with center Tyler Linderbaum’s extension unresolved.

4. NFL Coaching & Player News

[23:03 – 33:19]

• Rams Elevate Nate Sheilhaus:

  • Promoted to OC after interviewing for five HC jobs.
  • Notable diversity milestone: “This is good for the league…He is the third new black offensive coordinator of this cycle.” — Rachel Nichols [24:00]

• Lakers' Big 3 and Playoff Hopes:

  • Luka, LeBron, and Austin Reaves will share the court for just the 11th time this season due to injuries.
  • “At what point do we have to bake that into handicapping the Lakers?” — Jason McIntyre [25:50]
  • Standings in the West are a log jam; every game matters for playoff positioning.

• A.J. Brown Trade Rumors:

  • After season-long drama, Eagles insist "you don't trade elite players."
  • Brown admits former tension with coach Mike Vrabel: “I used to write in my notebook … I didn’t really like Vrabel. He knows that.” — A.J. Brown [29:16]
  • Rachel differentiates between emotional players and headaches; insists Eagles will keep him unless they get a blockbuster offer.

5. LeBron’s Potential Farewell Tour & the Lakers’ Pursuit of Giannis

[35:05 – 45:00]

• Farewell Tour History:

  • Most superstar farewell tours coincide with non-contending teams (MJ’s Wizards, Kobe’s Lakers, Dirk’s Mavericks); only Kareem’s Lakers made the playoffs.
  • “Can they serve both masters?...Compete while doing a LeBron farewell tour?” — Jason McIntyre [35:35]

• Giannis Sweepstakes:

  • The Athletic reports Lakers will pursue Giannis if available, but would he join a team focused on LeBron's send-off?
  • Jason doubts other rumored destinations (Miami, Knicks); points out “Giannis might just dictate the terms—the Bucks will be forced to listen if he refuses to sign an extension.”

• Rachel Nichols’ Analysis:

  • Knicks and Lakers have allure for Giannis due to big-city status and narrative possibilities: “Whoever goes to New York and wins a title, there, is going to be a hero in a way that... we haven’t seen in the NBA in a long time.” — Rachel Nichols [43:51]
  • On LeBron’s diminished future role: “It’s not just a farewell tour. It’s LeBron’s defense isn’t what it used to be. He’s going to be even more of a target next year … Are you pulling him off the floor at the end of a championship situation?” — Rachel Nichols [44:44]
  • The question for Giannis: Does he want to join a team where he’s second fiddle to LeBron’s legacy tour or carry brunson/Knicks to glory?

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Tanking:

  • “What we’re seeing right now is not working…Are we seeing behavior that is worse this year than we’ve seen in recent memory? Yes, is my view.” — Adam Silver [07:33]
  • “Show me the incentive, I’ll show you the outcome.” — Jason McIntyre (quoting Charlie Munger) [08:03]
  • “Tanking is a symptom, not the problem…You have to give them other ways (to get better).” — Rachel Nichols [13:42]

• On the Knicks:

  • “People want to ship [Bridges] FedEx anywhere, get him out of town. We need Giannis…Let’s not overreact to a February loss.” — Jason McIntyre [02:30]

• On Declan Doyle (Ravens OC):

  • “Proximity to greatness does not equal greatness…You’re around Sean Payton, you’re around Ben Johnson. Doesn’t automatically mean you’re going to be a smash hit.” — Jason McIntyre [18:20]

• A.J. Brown on Coach Vrabel:

  • “I didn’t really like Vrabel…He knows that. I used to write, I hate Vrabel … But he holds every single player accountable…nobody’s bigger than the team.” — A.J. Brown [29:16]

• On Giannis’ Decision:

  • “If Giannis goes to the Knicks…and they win, the story … will be that Giannis brought championship mentality and got them over the hump.” — Rachel Nichols [41:03]
  • “Whoever goes to New York and wins a title, there, is going to be a hero in a way that…we haven’t seen in the NBA in a long time…” — Rachel Nichols [43:51]

• On LeBron's Farewell Tour:

  • “Can they do a LeBron farewell tour and compete for a championship? … That’s crazy.” — Jason McIntyre [35:35]
  • “Are you pulling [LeBron] off the floor at the end of a championship situation or something like that? And how is he going to feel about that?” — Rachel Nichols [44:45]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:57] – Show begins; Pistons vs. Knicks analysis, NBA overreactions
• [06:15] – Adam Silver’s anti-tanking push, historical tanking examples, draft incentive conversation
• [13:34] – Rachel Nichols on tanking as a symptom of NBA’s structural problems
• [16:37] – Baltimore Ravens: Jesse Minter/Declan Doyle hires, Lamar Jackson's future
• [23:03] – Rams’ coaching updates & diversity; Lakers’ health and playoff log jam
• [28:29] – A.J. Brown’s trade rumors, NFL wide receiver drama
• [35:05] – LeBron’s Farewell Tour, Lakers’ all-in pursuit of Giannis, superstars’ team-building calculus
• [41:03] – Knicks/Lakers/Giannis destination analysis, pressure and payoff for stars

Summary Flow and Tone

The episode is fast-moving, irreverent, and full of strong opinions—as is typical for THE HERD. Jason McIntyre brings both data and storytelling, vividly re-living NBA playoff history and fanning speculation around star movement. Rachel Nichols matches insight for insight, often grounding the hot takes with context or challenging incomplete narratives. Listeners get a blend of nostalgia, hard analysis, and real-time league intrigue—especially around tanking, potential super-team construction, and locker-room dynamics, all delivered conversationally with playful debate.

In sum: This hour is for NBA and NFL fans who want more than highlights—insider context, historical comparisons, and the evolving drama behind the scoreboard.