Best of The Herd

Friday energy, I’m in for Colin with Rachel Nichols, and yes, Knicks fans, last night was rough: Cade dropped forty-two at the Garden and Detroit swept New York this season, but let’s pump the brakes on panic.

The Pistons are legit and defend like crazy, but it’s February; in a seven-game series I still trust the Knicks’ top-end guys and their playoff reps, so no need to crown Detroit yet.

Adam Silver told teams he’s coming for tanking, and everyone cheered; are we really fixing the problem or just the symptoms?

We need a fresh approach to the draft because gaming the system is getting worse, and the lottery can’t reward teams that intentionally underperform.

The incentive structure is the issue: one superstar flips a franchise in basketball, so losing for draft position will always tempt teams—Spurs for Duncan, San Antonio for Wemby, Cleveland with LeBron—this genie doesn’t go back in the bottle.

Tanking isn’t the disease, it’s a side effect; until bad teams have more real ways to improve, they’ll keep choosing the path that works.

Cade told GQ he wants the Olympic team and believes he’s the top American player, and after that MSG show his coach called him a superstar; inspired by that, I laid out a build-around list with Cade in the top five, Steph still in the mix, Ant climbing fast, and yes, I went bold with Cooper Flagg at number one for long-term upside—Rachel laughed, but I’m rolling with it.

Let’s flip to the NFL: what’s the real read on Lamar, a first-time head coach, and a new play-caller in Baltimore?

There’s prior rapport between Lamar and Jesse Minter, but the pressure’s on for voluntary work because Lamar’s skipped a lot of OTAs in the past; a circle date is early April, and the new staff needs to build the offense around how Lamar plays, not the other way around.

Any clarity on how things ended with Harbaugh, and how Lamar’s handling the noise?

He’s said little publicly, and there was internal frustration about midweek availability; when he’s healthy he’s an MVP, but injuries changed the way defenses played him, and the cap number has to be addressed.

Up I‑95 to Philly—after missing on early OC targets, what’s the vibe and what changes with Jalen Hurts?

Teams envy the Eagles’ forward-thinking setup even if the building runs hot; candidates viewed the job as demanding with a revolving door, you must tailor the scheme to Hurts’ style, and expect a bigger, more varied role for DeVonta Smith.

Maxx Crosby trade buzz won’t die—what’s real?

Conversations will heat up at the Combine: Vegas must decide if Maxx wants in, whether he fits their rebuild timeline, and how to handle his meniscus repair, which likely delays any move until he’s further along.

What about the Tyreek situation—timeline and market?

It’ll take time given the knee and multiple ligaments; the receiver draft is loaded, but a mid-season return and a Drew Rosenhaus showcase could make him a ring-chasing add.

This quarterback carousel is thin—who’s the smart play?

Malik Willis’ market is rising on upside and pedigree, while Mac Jones offers strong value on a cheap deal; I’d try a two-year Malik bet, especially with a light QB draft.

And my Jets—push now or wait?

They look positioned to wait for the 2027 class with a short-term bridge in 2026, which fits their recent pick strategy.

Good stuff—appreciate it, and I’m oddly calm about my Jets doing nothing; more tanking talk later… kidding.