The Ringer NBA Show – "Jonathan Kuminga Remains a Warrior. Is Giannis Looking for a New Home? Plus, Agent Todd Ramasar Joins the Show!"

Date: October 3, 2025
Hosts: Howard Beck, Raja Bell
Special Guest: Todd Ramasar, NBA Agent

Episode Overview

This episode features Howard Beck and Raja Bell breaking down the latest in NBA news, focusing on Jonathan Kuminga's new deal with the Warriors and the implications for his future with the team. The hosts also run through various "distraction meter" storylines across the league, including the latest on Giannis, Kawhi, LeBron, and Kevin Durant. In the second half, veteran agent Todd Ramasar joins to discuss groundbreaking NCAA eligibility changes, the evolution of player representation, the role of NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) in college sports, and provides insight into client dynamics—especially those of the Indiana Pacers.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. NBA Preseason Vibes and Host Banter

• Beck and Bell open sharing stories about NBA training camp energy, media day excitement, and stress dreams (Beck’s) about covering the NBA Finals.
• Memorable moment: Beck bemusedly recalls a dream featuring NBA PR’s Tim Frank and referee Scott Foster ("He did scowl at me. But that's just, you know, standard fare for Scott," - Beck, 02:28).

2. Jonathan Kuminga Contract Resolution

[04:00–11:15]

• The Facts:
  • Jonathan Kuminga signs a 2-year, $48.5M deal with the Warriors (team option for the 2nd year).
  • The deal is viewed as short-term and tradable, aligning with rumors Golden State seeks to move Kuminga due to fit issues.
• Key Insights:
  • Raja highlights the mental toll for young players who "lost" at the negotiating table:

    "I’ve been at negotiating tables and not gotten what I wanted... but you still have to do your job... Because, you know, especially at this point in a young career, you're still developing." – Raja (04:57)

  • Beck and Raja both stress the complexity of playing in limbo—having to impress for a trade market while staying team-oriented.

    "Does being the best version of yourself...mean being a good teammate and taking opportunities where they come? Or [does it] mean forcing the issue? Getting your trade value up sometimes means you gotta just get your shots up..." – Beck (07:09)

  • Raja shares hard-won advice, reflecting on his Utah playing days:

    “When I got to a team with established stars and a set way of playing, my role shrank—and it was the best thing for my career.” (11:15)

3. NBA’s "Distraction Meter": Big Stories in Camp

[14:48–25:50]

• Latest drama and storylines dissected:

  • Kuminga (trade bait status)
  • Kevin Durant (extension in limbo, huge potential numbers)
  • Kawhi Leonard (no-show investigation with alleged cap circumvention, potential for big penalties)
  • Giannis (uncertainty about long-term future with the Bucks, hints at exploring options, [Giannis joins media day via Zoom due to COVID])
  • LeBron (no extension, hints about future, addresses but downplays influence of playing with Luka)

• Notable Quotes:

  • On Kawhi’s situation:

    "Because of the investigation...could turn into anything. Who knows, right?" – Raja (18:06)

  • On Giannis:

    “His whole mantra has been ‘I want to win championships’...I don’t think that that’s Milwaukee right now as currently constructed.” – Beck (20:36)

  • On LeBron’s possible departure:

    "LeBron put on a nice happy face...but those two [Giannis and LeBron] to me are kind of the ones that I’ve got an eye on." – Beck (21:47)

  • LeBron’s lukewarm comment on sharing the court with Luka:

    "Luca’s presence has, quote, zero impact on that...which, in one way, you just take as he’s going to go on his own timeline." – Beck (22:57)

• Hosts agree: Kawhi’s Clippers situation is likely the most potentially distracting to a team, with significant fallout possible.

4. Interview with Agent Todd Ramasar: Player Representation and Groundbreaking NCAA Developments

[26:25–55:49]

a. Introducing Todd Ramasar

• Agent and CEO of Life Sports Agency, represents Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard, Kavon Looney, Eric Gordon, and others.

b. Thierry Darlan’s Historic Transition: G League to NCAA

[28:15–44:38]

• Who is Thierry Darlan?

  • Central African prospect, played for G League Ignite and other G League teams, now first ever to transition from the G League to NCAA (Santa Clara).
  • Significance: The current NIL era allows for unique eligibility paths previously prohibited.
  • Ramasar:

    “Player development is human development. For us that went to college...there’s an intimacy...it’s almost like you enlisted in the army and you skipped boot camp.” “When he played in the G League, he did not sign an NBA contract with an NBA team...He still has remaining draft eligibility...” (32:11)

• Why this move matters:

  • Ramasar and Santa Clara recognized the evolving NCAA landscape would permit eligibility.
  • Emphasizes the unique developmental and cultural opportunity offered by a college experience compared to pro pathways (echoed by Raja’s own time overseas without support systems – “I was so lonely. I didn’t know what was going on.” – Raja, 42:16)

• Long-term implications:

  • This could open a new precedent for players leaving pro options for college (if eligibility remains possible).
  • “At the end of the day...these kids are pros. Can we just call it what it is?” – Raja (47:39)
  • NIL is rendering some pro-first options obsolete, as compensation and visibility at the NCAA level now match or exceed G League, OTE, and overseas options.

c. The Evolving Landscape for Agents/Representatives

[55:49–60:21]

• Ramasar explains the representative’s role has changed:
  • Greater direct access and ongoing relationships with college and even high school athletes due to NIL.
  • The approach must now center on development as much as transactional management—focusing on long-term growth, not just cashing in.
  • “What we’re not trying to do is...distract them from their ultimate goal...” – Ramasar (57:00)

5. Kuminga Negotiation: Going Public as an Agent—Strategy & Risk

[60:21–66:49]

• Background: Kuminga’s agent Aaron Turner went on a "media barnstorming tour" explaining their negotiation stance.

• Ramasar’s take:

  "It's risky because you don't want to embarrass publicly your counterparts...in some circumstances, you may end up doing a deal with them and your client has to go back to that same very team...It's a tool that can be used. It just has to be well thought out." (62:43)

• On controlling the narrative in the social media era:

  • Raja: “My older boy does have representation...We work pretty hand in hand with them...there’s a brand that’s trying to be cultivated to some degree.” (65:45)
  • Ramasar agrees, emphasizing timing and context for social posts and aligning public image with reality and team goals.

6. How to Advise a Client Trapped in ‘Contract for Convenience’/Trade Limbo

[69:00–73:44]

• Both hosts and Ramasar agree: The best a player in Kuminga’s shoes can do is stay professional and focused on what he can control.

  “You play well, that's going to help facilitate the trade. It's going to help get you where you want to go...compartmentalizing a little bit and just saying, hey, man, I'm coming in here to be the best me, the best teammate.” – Raja (70:24)

  “Risk mitigation goes to injury...keeping his head on straight...when he does get the minutes...performing at a high level...when he’s speaking to the media, that he’s being a professional...The more options you have...the greater it’s going to be..." – Ramasar (71:25)

7. Wrap: Indiana Pacers’ Clients Update & Playoff Prospects

[73:41–79:03]

• Ramasar discusses Siakam’s and Nembhard’s mindset starting the season amid injuries to Tyrese Haliburton and lost talent.

  “Both players are extremely confident...They understand that’s a big loss in Tyrese...but because [the Pacers] have a good team...they’re going to fortify...by committee...they’re looking to win.” – Ramasar (74:56)

• Beck: “One thing we know about the Pacers: they do not tank...they just constantly overachieve, exceeding all of our expectations.” (77:08)

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Howard Beck (on NBA stress dream): "Somewhere in all of this, Tim Frank from NBA PR was in there. Scott Foster was in this dream..." [01:09]
• Raja Bell (on contract perspective): "For a guy that's got that level of athleticism and burst, there's something he should be able to give you more consistently..." [04:57]
• Todd Ramasar (on Darlan's move): "He's the first player to go from the G League to the NCAA. Never happened before." [28:44]
• Howard Beck (on Giannis): "His whole mantra has been, 'I want to win championships'...I don’t think that’s Milwaukee right now..." [20:36]
• Ramasar (on the NIL era): "At the end of the day...what's the difference, right? They're professionals in college..." [44:38]
• Ramasar (on negotiating via media): "You don’t want to embarrass publicly your counterparts...it's risky." [62:43]
• Raja Bell (on the professional mindset): "You control what you can control...I'm coming in here to be the best me, the best teammate, the best asset." [70:24]

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [00:00] – Show open, ads, host banter, NBA preseason atmosphere
• [04:00] – Kuminga's deal: breakdown, implications, advice for young players
• [14:48] – NBA distraction meter: Kawhi’s investigation, Giannis’s future, LeBron’s contract, Durant’s situation
• [26:25] – Todd Ramasar joins; path from G League to NCAA
• [44:38] – NIL, the shifting NCAA/pro landscape, agent’s evolving job
• [60:21] – The Kuminga agent/media negotiation debate
• [69:00] – Advising a client waiting for a trade ("contract of convenience")
• [73:41] – Pacers' outlook: Siakam, Nembhard, and overachieving team
• [79:21] – Show close and sign-off

Podcast Tone

Warm, direct, and often candid, with personal experience and inside knowledge woven throughout. The hosts and guest oscillate between frank professional advice, affectionate joking, and honest appraisal of the NBA’s ever-evolving landscape.

Summary Takeaways

• Kuminga’s contract is a clear trade set-up, but his approach in the interim will matter for his reputation and next opportunity.
• Kawhi’s cap investigation is the league’s most explosive off-court story, with Giannis quietly poised as the most seismic potential mover.
• NIL and “reverse journeys” from pro to college are redefining basketball pathways, empowering both athletes and agents/representatives.
• The role of the representative is now developmental, not just transactional—a fact that looms especially large in the age of high-school NIL deals and social media branding.

This summary captures the main discussions, quotes, context, and advice from this episode of The Ringer NBA Show, providing a comprehensive view for those who haven’t listened.