Best of the week on The Herd
The Herd with Jason McIntyre takes a deep dive into the NBA playoffs, spotlighting the New York Knicks' historic run to the Finals as a team built entirely through trades and free agency—unlike most modern champions who draft their core. The episode centers on Jalen Brunson’s unprecedented $113 million sacrifice to clear cap space, enabling the Knicks to acquire stars like OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns. McIntyre argues Brunson’s humility and team-first ethos make him a modern-day Patrick Ewing, possibly even surpassing him in legacy. The show then pivots to the Western Conference Finals, where the San Antonio Spurs are poised to force a Game 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. A fiery segment dismantles Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s flopping reputation, citing data showing the Thunder are minus-28 with him on the court and calling the narrative a potential legacy stain akin to LeBron’s departure from Cleveland. Former NBA center Ryan Hollins defends SGA’s foul-baiting as part of elite playmaking, but acknowledges the fan backlash. The episode closes with a deep-dive NBA draft preview from Jonathan Gavoni, who hails Cam Boozer as the top prospect—analytically untouchable since age 14—and projects a loaded top 10 with size and versatility dominating the new NBA landscape.
Jalen Brunson sacrificed $113 million to enable the Knicks' 2024 roster overhaul, making him a modern-day team-first legend.
The Knicks are the first modern NBA team to reach the Finals with no homegrown starters—entirely built via trades and free agency.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is minus-28 with him on the court in the series, and his flopping has become a national narrative.
Cam Boozer is the top-rated prospect in NBA front office analytics models, with a career-long track record of dominance since age 14.
The NBA draft is trending toward size and versatility, with 7'4" centers like Adai Mara and Moraes Johnson emerging as lottery picks.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Welcome to The Herd: Knicks in the Finals
Jason McIntyre kicks off the show from Los Angeles, welcoming listeners and setting the tone with excitement over the Knicks' historic run to the NBA Finals.
Brunson’s $113M Sacrifice: The Foundation of the Knicks
“Jalen Brunson took a big sacrifice in 2024. He was pilloried in the media. I'm not going to call out names, but a lot of people, oh, how could he take that much less money? He's just dumb. Why would you do that? You guys can look in his pockets. I'm looking at the sacrifice that he made and where he's gotten today.”
The Knicks’ Unprecedented Roster: No Homegrown Starters
“Folks, their entire starting lineup was acquired in free agency or through trades. No homegrown players. In their top eight, right? I looked at the top eight for the Spurs and the Thunder. Six on each of those teams were drafted. For the Knicks, it's two. That's it.”
SGA’s Flopping: A Legacy Stain?
“If SGA isn't getting a favorable whistle and getting to the free throw line and he's being held to 15 points and, you know, he's not a three-point shooter. Who is he? And I start looking around the league, like who are some great shooting guards who couldn't really get to the free throw line, but were excellent.”
Alex Caruso: The Real MVP of the Thunder Series
“If the series ends, Caruso's my vote for MVP. And he bit my head off. And then the staff told me today that a couple guys at ESPN are now saying. I think Caruso should be the MVP of the series for the Thunder.”
“100% of them have Cam Boozer at number one at the top of their draft model. That's not just because of what he did in college, where he was the most productive player in college basketball by a mile at 18 years old, but also dating back to what he did in high school as well as at the FIBA level.”
“Jalen Brunson took a big sacrifice in 2024. He was pilloried in the media. I'm not going to call out names, but a lot of people, oh, how could he take that much less money? He's just dumb. Why would you do that? You guys can look in his pockets. I'm looking at the sacrifice that he made and where he's gotten today.”
“Folks, their entire starting lineup was acquired in free agency or through trades. No homegrown players. In their top eight, right? I looked at the top eight for the Spurs and the Thunder. Six on each of those teams were drafted. For the Knicks, it's two. That's it.”
Host
Guests
new york knicks
other
shai gilgeous-alexander
person
oklahoma city thunder
other
jalen brunson
person
san antonio spurs
other
cam boozer
person
jonathan gavoni
person
ryan hollins
person
victor wembenyama
person
alex caruso
person
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