Best of The Herd

Beautiful day in L.A., I’m in for Colin, and Rachel Nichols just flew in from Milan with Olympic stories; we’ll get there, but I’m starting with LeBron’s future and why this summer could get wild.

I’ve been back less than half a day and ran straight here; the morning meeting was spicy, so let’s roll.

LeBron’s path looks like three doors: stay in L.A. on a discount, take a hometown deal elsewhere, or walk away, but the read is he plays chess, not checkers, and lines up a cinematic farewell with a streaming partner while taking less so the Lakers can chase a superteam and send him out on a title run.

The NFL’s in a quarterback crunch with too many teams and too few answers, the free-agent pile is thin, and it feels like several front offices will hold their powder for next year’s draft rather than overpay for a short-term fix.

Milan worked despite the distance between venues, the stories have been great, women’s curling is in the playoffs, and USA–Canada in women’s hockey is appointment viewing.

NBA second-half predictions: Cleveland rides a favorable slate to the top seed, OKC stalls before the conference finals, Boston risks a first-round stumble re-integrating Tatum, Rookie of the Year tilts to Con Kennepal if Cooper Flag gets powered down, and I’ve got Knicks–Spurs in June with Wembanyama and Castle surging.

Darren Peterson blew up one night, sat the next with the flu, and then left midgame with cramps; where are you on him as a prospect right now?

The talent is undeniable, but availability and how he handles adversity are real concerns, and if you can’t grind through a college season it gives NBA teams pause when they’re investing top-pick money.

Texas Tech was a late-game showcase, Arizona was a DNP flu while the team won without him, and even Bill Self sounded puzzled after the latest exit; does the ceiling still keep him near the top of the board?

He’s still not sliding past three in this class; I’ve got DeBonza and Booser in that mix, and then him, because his upside outpaces the next tier, even if the risk profile rises.

Michigan–Duke has that old-school juice; how do you see Booser against Yaxel Lendaborg?

Booser’s a steady, two-way anchor who fills the box score without flash, and Lendaborg is a switchable, skilled matchup who Dusty May uses all over the floor and who impressed at Nike camp with motor and polish.

Big Ten picture: can we pencil in two for Phoenix?

I like Michigan and Illinois most; Illinois is huge, skilled, and tough with Woggler starring, Purdue feels more like a second-weekend group, and Nebraska has cooled.

Quick one on UCLA: Cronin yanked a player after a hard foul while trailing big; fair or over the top?

That was a hustle play on the ball, not dirty, and I wouldn’t have pulled him—coaches preach effort regardless of score, and he was doing exactly that.

Before you go, your bubble memories and a word on LeBron at this stage?

The bubble run was brutally hard and special to win, and LeBron’s longevity is built on obsessive prep and elite consistency.

People forget how many players wanted out of the bubble because it was so demanding; that title was no shortcut.

Willie Colon joins—my Jets are stuck at quarterback and the market’s thin; what’s the move?

You need competent play now, so take a swing on a plug-in like Malik Willis or Mariota, fortify the defense with your picks, and stop living in QB purgatory.

There’s also noise about ownership meddling on defense; how do you read that?

If you hire Aaron Glenn to be the defensive mind, let him own it and deliver—he knows the market, he has pieces, and it’s on him to shape the identity.

Pittsburgh drama spilled into the public with Ben, Joey Porter, and Tomlin chatter; where do you land?

That’s family business and it should’ve stayed in-house; they’re all winners, there’s no racial angle here, and we all need to be careful how we talk about that era.

Max Crosby wants out of Vegas while the rebuild starts; trade him or draw a line?

I’d move him and let him chase wins—Chicago makes sense, you aim for a DJ Moore–type return, and the Raiders get assets for the reset.

If the Raiders stick at the top of the draft with Mendoza on the board, what then?

The roster needs help everywhere, so consider trading down and building the foundation, because burning out a young QB behind holes helps no one; Mendoza’s the best in this class, but he’s not a fixer by himself.

Kenneth Walker just balled out, but tagging talk is lukewarm; would you pay him?

He produced on the big stage, but if he’s limited in the pass game I’d go younger and cheaper in the backfield, keep the true game-breakers, and stay flexible for a repeat push.

Great stuff—appreciate you rolling with us.