Zach Lowe out at ESPN

[Ryoga Hibiki]

This is CRAZY news. I'm shocked. For non-click bait, Zach Lowe is basically the most popular basketball journalist.

If he stays in the basketball journalism/analysis space, this could be exciting. A version of his podcast where he's no longer obligated to interview the same boring ESPN employees anymore (McNenamin is who I'm thinking of specifically). Overall, Lowe's content changed over time to become more suitable for ESPN, and the quality of his analysis was lessened by the requirement to meet ESPN pundits halfway, and talk about the Lakers no matter what.

Not sure who can pay him what ESPN was paying him though, so I'm sorry for him losing that bag. He can work basically wherever he wants, but I hope he goes somewhere where he can bring elevated content.

He's popular enough to go on his own

[ryguy613]

Meh... I've always found his analysis to be a bit overrated, oversimplified, and overly impressed with itself. Having said that, always sucks when people lose their jobs. Im sure he will land on his feet.

[Ryoga Hibiki]

This is CRAZY news. I'm shocked. For non-click bait, Zach Lowe is basically the most popular basketball journalist.

If he stays in the basketball journalism/analysis space, this could be exciting. A version of his podcast where he's no longer obligated to interview the same boring ESPN employees anymore (McNenamin is who I'm thinking of specifically). Overall, Lowe's content changed over time to become more suitable for ESPN, and the quality of his analysis was lessened by the requirement to meet ESPN pundits halfway, and talk about the Lakers no matter what.

Not sure who can pay him what ESPN was paying him though, so I'm sorry for him losing that bag. He can work basically wherever he wants, but I hope he goes somewhere where he can bring elevated content.

Lowe's talked pretty openly that a bigger part of his drop off in quality analysis is just that he doesn't watch as must ball anymore due to his kids. Which seems reasonable enough. To be a true basketball nerd, you kinda gotta put in crazy hours.

I think that's reasonable, of course, and sure that's the biggest part of it. Alongside that, for him to continue to progress at ESPN, he had to grow into more of a talk show host type. Even on the Lowe Post, he consistently became more polished as a big production host type, and a little less earnest about quality basketball discussion.

Due to either or both, Lowe recycled his takes a lot more. Once Lowe had his "take" on a team, we'd read it and hear it a dozen times. He no longer had comprehensive understanding based in extensive film study, and had to lean on single insights. More like a smart realgm poster who wasn't able to watch as many games this season, than a professional analyst. He's still one of my favorite bball journalists, and probably my favorite amongst ones who have reached that level of success.

still, he's watching every team 30-35 times, in the RS. He might watch less then before, sure, but it's still a lot

[Saints14]

I’m actually kinda happy about this. Lowe (and Pelton) were the only holdovers for me still consuming ESPNs NBA coverage, I feel comfortable just abandoning them now (sorry Pelton)

[Kent]

I don't take in podcasts these days but recently stumbled on Bill Simmons' episode with Zach and watched it all the way through since I like hearing what Zach has to say.

Crazy that this just happened.

He'll land on his feet, I'm sure.

[Jellybeans]

Hear me out....

Shams is a free agent. They needed to clear the books to make room for him.

WOJ left 20 mil on the table and retired.
Money is there with or without Lowe

[Jeremy Lin 7]

Only saving grace of ESPN. Unbelievable decision. The Lowe Post was a great podcast highlighting teams not named the Lakers and Lebron.

All while SAS, Sharpe, and Perkins still have platforms. SMH.

[Shock Defeat]

ESPN getting the bag ready for Shams

[Tony15]

I’m actually kinda happy about this. Lowe (and Pelton) were the only holdovers for me still consuming ESPNs NBA coverage, I feel comfortable just abandoning them now (sorry Pelton)

Yup. I stopped consuming ESPN years ago. They've decided to cater to the brainrot of society & have abandoned folks like me....most news outlets have. Fortunately, it's not hard to find insightful roundball analysis.

Sent from my SM-G960U using RealGM mobile app

[slick_watts]

meh. lowe will catch on someplace else and still be able to share his thoughts and probably podcast. who cares. espn's coverage of the nba is just consolidating itself into hooper shouting matches making it easier to find the good stuff elsewhere.

As a basketball fan, I think we all should care. The worse converge ESPN gives us the less future NBA fans we have.

i think their current coverage and their coverage trend caters to the broadest category of sports fans.

[Jcool0]

This is CRAZY news. I'm shocked. For non-click bait, Zach Lowe is basically the most popular basketball journalist.

If he stays in the basketball journalism/analysis space, this could be exciting. A version of his podcast where he's no longer obligated to interview the same boring ESPN employees anymore (McNenamin is who I'm thinking of specifically). Overall, Lowe's content changed over time to become more suitable for ESPN, and the quality of his analysis was lessened by the requirement to meet ESPN pundits halfway, and talk about the Lakers no matter what.

Not sure who can pay him what ESPN was paying him though, so I'm sorry for him losing that bag. He can work basically wherever he wants, but I hope he goes somewhere where he can bring elevated content.

He's popular enough to go on his own

He covers the NBA he needs a company behind him.

[sp6r=underrated]

This sucks but probably makes business sense.

ESPN thinks having basketball broadcasts tailored around absurd player comparisons and gambling will do better than basketball broadcasts that feature serious team and player analysis. They are likely correct but it sucks.

[sp6r=underrated]

ESPN getting the bag ready for Shams

I'm not a Stephen A fan but there are a lot of people who watch ESPN for him. I've never understood why ESPN values guys like Woj or Sham. Is it really that important for them to say "reported here first" when it is mostly meaningless crap everyone expected.

[ItsDanger]

I always found Lowe kind of boring. People don't watch ESPN yet somehow this has impact for them?

[sp6r=underrated]

RJ just gets that nobody cares about nuance and acts accordingly.

That is my take as well. It sucks but many basketball fans don't really care about basketball analysis. Coverage of the NFL and MLB isn't perfect but it is more sophisticated than NBA coverage because fans of those sports really care about that sport rather than just care about their favorite player. A higher percentage of fans in those sports want to know what teams, even teams that don't have a shot at a title can do to improve their performance. A higher percentage of NBA wants "who is the GOAT?" 24/7.

A lot of NBA fans basically follow the sport to follow a player they identify as a superhero and only want the game covered from that lense. ESPN is giving those folks what they want.

[NZB2323]

The ringer or Substack?

My guess is he has a no-compete clause but McShay works around that and goes on Russillo's pod every week. Wouldn't be shocked if Bill devotes one pod a week with Lowe during the NBA season.

I don’t think you can enforce a non-compete clause if you fire someone.

[WarriorGM]

Maybe I've missed stuff with him. But he seems about average among the ESPN people...which I couldn't mean in a more insulting way.

I like RJ and think he's one of the bigger talents at ESPN. He's a goofball and isn't consistent in terms of offering high-end basketball analysis. He started off bad as a clear troll, but if he talks with someone who's being serious, he rises to the occasion. He's a bit of a charistmatic people pleaser and morphs from troll, to former player, to serious basketball analyst. I think he's shown a lot of potential, but ESPN will likely ask him to lean into his worst self.

I have sadly not seeing the better sides of him i guess. Even in some pods I've heard him in...he was just lacking any depth to anything he said or did. If he's actually capable of insight that's great. If I'm gonna be wrong about someone, I'd rather they prove to have more depth and insight than the other way. Just means we live in a better world

I do not question RJ's intelligence at all. He had the presence of mind to come up with these tweets:

https://www.nbcsportsbayarea.com/nba/golden-state-warriors/richard-jefferson-perfectly-sums-up-warriors-sweep-in-three-tweets/1361873/

He was probably far from alone in seeing what was going to happen next but he still was able to anticipate making a joke out of it online in the moment.

[Doctor MJ]

Meh... I've always found his analysis to be a bit overrated, oversimplified, and overly impressed with itself. Having said that, always sucks when people lose their jobs. Im sure he will land on his feet.

I find myself wondering who it is on ESPN you think wasn't "oversimplified".

If your thought to respond is "All of ESPN is like that", then I agree, but would emphasize that ESPN was pushing Lowe in this direction. During the Grantland years, Lowe was the best basketball writer around.

I don't think Lowe can regain anything like a "best analyst" title in my eyes because the competition is a lot tougher than it used to be, but I think it likely that whatever Lowe does next will be a serious upgrade in quality over his latter ESPN years, let alone anyone else left at ESPN.

[Doctor MJ]

The ringer or Substack?

My guess is he has a no-compete clause but McShay works around that and goes on Russillo's pod every week. Wouldn't be shocked if Bill devotes one pod a week with Lowe during the NBA season.

I don’t think you can enforce a non-compete clause if you fire someone.

I think what ESPN's done in the past is offered a big fat check for the talent they let go to not do anything for a year likely with the hope that they'll never be able to regain stature after such time out of the spotlight.

Were I Lowe, I wouldn't take that deal.

[hauntedcomputer]

Great, maybe I will be able to read his stuff for free again.