Latest news with #ZachLowe
Yahoo
28-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA rumors: Bill Simmons, Zach Lowe ponder Lakers-Heat LeBron James trade
The post NBA rumors: Bill Simmons, Zach Lowe ponder Lakers-Heat LeBron James trade appeared first on ClutchPoints. Could LeBron James be taking his talents to South Beach a second time? On a recent episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, Bill Simmons and ESPN's Zach Lowe explored a blockbuster scenario in which LeBron James is traded back to the Miami Heat, an idea that, while hypothetical, is gaining traction among NBA insiders. Although James is expected to begin the season with the Los Angeles Lakers, trade chatter has begun to simmer beneath the surface. As Simmons noted, 'It's kind of gotten quiet now after it was the talk of Summer League,' but added that he has a 'weird gut feeling' Miami could re-emerge as a serious landing spot should James decide to request a trade midseason. The scenario hinges heavily on the Lakers' performance. If the team falters out of the gate or suffers a catastrophic injury, a trade could become more realistic, especially since James can become a free agent after this season. According to Lowe, any deal would have to be favorable for the Lakers, possibly involving younger assets like Kel'el Ware. Would the Heat want to reunite with LeBron James? From Miami's end, the fit makes a lot of sense. The Heat are armed with expiring contracts. They have a strong locker room culture. Most of all, the Heat have a front office willing to act if the right opportunity presents itself. Despite planning for a bigger move in 2026, Pat Riley might find a James reunion too tempting to ignore if the four-time champion expresses interest. Of course, a return wouldn't come without baggage. LeBron James's 2014 departure from Miami strained his relationship with Riley, who publicly criticized the move. But time heals all wounds. The chance to chase another title together might overshadow the past. For now, it's just speculation. But the season is inching closer, and pressure is mounting in Los Angeles. This once-outlandish idea is beginning to look more plausible. If James wants one last title run, and the Lakers can't provide it, don't count out Miami. Related: Bill Simmons buys into Yang Hansen conspiracy theory amid Blazers sale buzz Related: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 10 greatest accolades, ranked
Yahoo
27-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA Insider Lists His Tiers Of Eastern Conference Teams; Heat And Celtics Might Be Underestimated
NBA Insider Lists His Tiers Of Eastern Conference Teams; Heat And Celtics Might Be Underestimated originally appeared on Fadeaway World. The upcoming NBA season presents a lot of possibilities for teams around the league. With specific emphasis on the Eastern Conference, NBA insider Zach Lowe recently presented his tier list of teams on "The Zach Lowe Show". Lowe presented some interesting takes across the board. Predicting a paradigm shift in the structure of the East, Lowe placed the Boston Celtics as one of the lowest teams. He justified this by saying: "The depth chart after White, Brown, Pritchard, and whatever you think of Simons, crumbles to sand so fast. And being that top-heavy, and that dependent on guys with minimal to no NBA track records, is a recipe for a wildly below expectations regular season. I don't really see a case for Celtics optimism." Overall, Lowe presents a rather dismal outlook for Boston. With Jayson Tatum expected to be sidelined for a significant duration, the Celtics have had to endure more hardships as the second apron forced them to trade key rotation players. In addition to this, Boston is expected to continue to clear salary by facilitating trades for Anfernee Simons. This presents a possibility that the team's roster strength could be depleted further. Many saw the Celtics' fall from grace as inevitable given their immediate condition heading into the offseason. But considering they still have gifted players like Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and Payton Pritchard, Boston may remain a difficult team to beat next season. Lowe continued by ranking the Milwaukee Bucks, the Detroit Pistons, and the Miami Heat as the mid-tier teams in the conference. Concerning Miami, he said: "What I see there is depth... I see IQ. I see an elite coach. Depth is very powerful in the regular season. Coaching is very powerful in the regular season… I see a formula where this team is 45-37 and gets the 6th seed. I just think they're better than Boston and Indiana. I'm putting them in a tier above Boston." The insider pointed out the potential shortcomings on Miami's roster, but in doing so, also presented the optimism with this team owing to the overall depth and the talented coaching staff. In making key acquisitions this offseason, the Heat have certainly made improvements. What remains to be seen is whether their new additions and their young players can assimilate and contribute to winning. While discussing some of the other teams in the conference, Lowe showed a massive investment in the rise of the Orlando Magic as a powerhouse in the East. "They're talented, they're surging, they're young, they're on the rise, and they have a defensive identity that is really hard to play against' added Lowe. "They need Franz Wagner to actually hit the apex of his game. But it would be premature in a normal year; something crazy's going to happen. This team is set up to be the something crazy team." With particular emphasis on Paolo Banchero's development after a contract extension, he said: "I don't know what y'all are seeing. This dude is f***ing awesome. I am more than okay paying him the max. I don't know if he's going to be a first-team All-NBA player at any point. I would probably lean towards believing there's a season in there where he cracks it." Lowe goes on to talk about Banchero's offensive arsenal, adding, "He's also shown me he's a good passer, he's a good playmaker on the move as a screener. The more talent around him, the more he'll tap into those parts of his me all the Paolo Banchero stock, that dude is ready for everything." While the Magic are expected to be strong contenders, especially with the addition of Desmond Bane, it seems like their success could be dictated by Banchero's development. Coming off a season of averaging 25.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game, the 22-year-old forward has displayed that he is ready to take the next step. With Orlando investing in his future growth, the Magic could be primed to make a big jump up the rankings if their star forward comes through. The East will be interesting next season. With several top teams falling off the radar due to injuries, an opportunity arises for a lot of mid-table teams to contend at the top. As the balance of power continues to shift this offseason, it will be exciting to see what the regular season holds for the aspiring teams in the Eastern story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jul 25, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
27-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cam Thomas Rips Zach Lowe, Dismisses Consensus About Him Being An "Empty Calories Ball Hog"
Cam Thomas Rips Zach Lowe, Dismisses Consensus About Him Being An "Empty Calories Ball Hog" originally appeared on Fadeaway World. Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas has not taken too kindly to a concerning report that recently came out about him from The Ringer's Zach Lowe. Lowe stated that the consensus about Thomas is that he is an "empty calories ball hog," and the 23-year-old went off on the analyst and that narrative on X. "The consensus? F*** you and the consensus, Zach Lowe. This is most likely the same consensus teams who can't guard me and send double teams from jump ball. Why are we double-teaming a guy who's 'not that good' make it make sense, please." Thomas averaged 24.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.1 blocks per game for the Nets in 2024-25, but missed much of the campaign due to injury. He remains a restricted free agent today, and that was why his name was brought up on The Zach Lowe Show. "What do we make of this guy who scores in bunches, who upped his assists significantly last year?" Lowe asked. "Still, I think only four and a half per 36 minutes, which, given the amount of time he has the ball, is still pretty low, but higher. Flashes some good passing skills, some lobs, some dump-offs. "Still had a usage rate of almost 33 percent, which is what you would associate almost with like Russell Westbrook, James Harden, MVP kind of seasons," Lowe continued. "Defensively, meh, but the dude can put the ball in the basket, and he can make a lot of tough shots, and he took more threes, and he shoots pretty well from three. Doesn't get to the rim that much; his rim rate is lower than I anticipated. "The consensus on Cam Thomas, if there is one, and he's got some fans, and he's got some mega-detractors - but the consensus is kind of like Empty Calories Ball Hog," Lowe added. Lowe did think that Thomas' passing had gotten better, but stated later on that he isn't sure he wants Thomas as a starter on a good team. He reckons the best role for the guard is to be a spark plug off the bench. Thomas, of course, would be backing himself to be more than just that. Minutes before putting out that post in which he ripped Lowe, he defended his play on the court. "Last time speaking on some s***," Thomas stated. "Empty Calories? First off, we were the 5th or 6th team in the East before my injury and trades. Can't control what the GM wanna do with the team … 2nd ball hog? I was 2nd on the team in assists, not counting the PGs traded away and traded for… Guess nobody was passing the mf ball. But just bring me up every time." The Nets were tied for seventh in the East with an 8-10 record on Nov. 25, 2024, when Thomas was sidelined due to a hamstring issue that would cause him to miss much of the remainder of the season. He believes that this shows an unfair picture is being painted about him. While that may or may not be true, it's getting less likely by the passing day that Thomas gets the kind of contract that he desires. According to the New York Post's Brian Lewis, he is seeking a deal in the neighborhood of $30 million a year, but the Nets are reluctant to make that kind of financial commitment. One wonders how this situation pans story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jul 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Nets' Cam Thomas pushes back against narrative he isn't impactful
Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas is in the midst of his first foray into NBA free-agency ever since he came into the league as the 27th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. Thomas has been one of the more polarizing players that Brooklyn has had over the years and he took the time to respond to narratives about his game that he feels are incorrect. "The consensus on Cam Thomas — if there is one, and he's got some fans, and he's got some mega-detractors - but the consensus is kind of like empty calories ball hog," The Ringer's Zach Lowe said of Thomas during a recent episode of "The Zach Lowe Show." Lowe, accompanied by Nekias Duncan, co-host of "The Dunker Spot" podcast, was asking Duncan for his opinion of Thomas as he waits for his next contract in restricted free-agency. "The consensus? (Expletive) you and the consensus," Thomas said in his post on X responding to what Lowe said about what the consensus thinks about his game. "This is most likely the same consensus teams who can't guard me and send double teams from jump ball. Why are we double teaming a guy who's 'not that good' make it make sense please." Thomas, 23, heads in restricted free-agency after his best season in the NBA in which he averaged 24.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game while shooting 43.8% from the field and 34.9% from three-point land. While Thomas had a career-best season in 2024-25, he also played just 25 games as he dealt with a troublesome left hamstring that ended his season in March. Thomas, who has yet to be signed by Brooklyn or anyone else, has not been "significantly engaged" by the Nets regarding his next contract, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer. Thomas' situation, while concerning to Brooklyn fans who want the guard to return to the Nets as soon as possible, doesn't seem to be entirely unusual given that all of the big-name restricted free-agents, like Thomas, Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga and Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey, remain unsigned as well. This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets' Cam Thomas pushes back against narrative he isn't impactful
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Zach Lowe responds to Nets' Cam Thomas over 'consensus' spat
Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas recently made headlines after addressing The Ringer's Zach Lowe over comments Lowe made in a recent episode of "The Zach Lowe Show" podcast. Lowe was pointing out what the consensus is on Thomas and his game, prompting Thomas to respond by dismissing the criticism. Once the dust settled, Lowe took the time to address the situation. "If Cam Thomas had listened to the subsequent 12 minutes, I don't think he did, but I don't know. He would have heard me deep-dive into his game and talk about career-high assists," Lowe said to colleague Rob Mahoney. While Thomas was within his right to address any criticism of him or his game, Lowe also spoke about Thomas for much longer than what was put on social media to provide context around the conversation. "Certain kind of passes that he's gotten meaningfully better at: Nick Claxton lobs, little dump-offs, and stuff like that," Lowe continued. "I have said consistently for two years of Cam Thomas dialogue that the guy can straight up get buckets and there is a place for him in the NBA. To me, that place is most likely sixth-man scoring burst guy, which is what I said in that 12-minute segment." As part of Lowe's discussion of Thomas, the former ESPN NBA commentator mentioned that Thomas is one of the most polarizing players in the NBA and how social media reacted to Lowe's comments proved that once again. Thomas, 23, is coming off the best season of his four-year career as he averaged 24.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game while shooting 43.8% from the field and 34.9% from three-point land. Thomas is currently a restricted free-agent this summer, meaning that he doesn't have much control over where he plays next season and with few NBA teams having ample cap space, Thomas may have to settle for what the Nets want to pay him. It's possible that Thomas is frustrated by his first foray into free-agency, something that Lowe understands, but Lowe also wanted to make it clear how he feels about the controversy and Thomas. This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Zach Lowe responds to Nets' Cam Thomas over 'consensus' spat
