For the third time in a yr, ESPN should work out what to do with its high NBA asserting group.
As a substitute of choosing a flashy title, the community ought to choose Tim Legler to work alongside venerable play-by-play man Mike Breen and trailblazer Doris Burke.
After shedding Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson final summer season, ESPN tabbed Doc Rivers to work alongside Breen and Burke this season.
Nonetheless, Rivers bolted for the pinnacle teaching job on the Bucks mid-season, to get replaced by JJ Redick, who’s now himself leaving to teach the Lakers.
Frankly, neither exit this yr qualifies as a tragedy.
Earlier this week, Scott Van Pelt gave Legler a hearty sendoff, noting that their longtime collaboration on midnight “SportsCenter” might be coming to an finish.
“NBA followers get that this dude is the perfect there may be, and I don’t need to lose you, but when we lose you some since you’re on the market doing video games that may be cool with me, since you’re not good at this, man, you’re nice at this,” Van Pelt informed Legler. “No person’s higher at speaking basketball than Tim Legler.”
Whereas this section was extensively interpreted to imply Legler might be leaving the community, sources informed The Put up that isn’t essentially the case.
Relatively, Legler and ESPN are presently in discussions for a brand new contract, one supply mentioned.
Legler can be slated to be a colour commentator on ESPN’s Summer season League protection, which kicks off in July.
For years, Legler has wished to do extra video games, however ESPN decision-makers resisted giving him a much bigger workload onsite as he’s so worthwhile in studio, significantly with Van Pelt.
Nonetheless, ESPN management has warmed as much as the thought of him calling extra video games, sources mentioned.
An ESPN spokesperson declined to remark.
Legler can be an excellent match with Breen and Burke as a result of he’s so adept at speaking basketball nuances in a concise method, drawing consideration to what’s truly occurring on the courtroom — versus himself.
Networks place a excessive worth on hiring former gamers and coaches as analysts after they’d Corridor of Fame and/or championship pedigree.
Whereas Legler was not a celebrity as a participant — he by no means made an All-Star group — and doesn’t have any rings, he’s supremely nice to hearken to as a broadcaster.
He was wonderful when he obtained tabbed as a colour commentator on Sport 3 of Nuggets-Timberwolves this previous Might.
There are a pair different choices for ESPN in the event that they select to stay in-house.
Richard Jefferson might get a glance.
One other believable situation is that ESPN opts to maintain the group as a two-person sales space with Breen and Burke.
The 2 labored collectively for various years earlier than this season when Jackson and Van Gundy weren’t on with Breen, and had nice chemistry.
It didn’t work out so nice including Rivers or Redick with them — for no matter cause the chemistry by no means blossomed in these three-person cubicles.
From exterior of ESPN, Chris Webber can be a strong darkhorse candidate.
Webber is a Corridor of Famer who’s a gifted broadcaster, having beforehand labored alongside the good Marv Albert at TNT.
He’s presently a free agent as he parted methods with TNT proper earlier than the 2021 playoffs.
Chris Paul joined ESPN’s “NBA Countdown” as a studio analyst early in these previous playoffs and one would think about he’s a potential candidate for this job, however he mentioned in April that he isn’t retiring.
He has 30 million causes to not cease enjoying — the Warriors owe him that a lot subsequent season.
Dwyane Wade would come to thoughts, as he’s working as a colour commentator for Staff USA basketball on NBC on the Olympics this summer season.
Nonetheless, this position has been extensively speculated as a tryout for him to work on their high announce group within the possible occasion that the NBA on NBC returns in 2025.
Charles Barkley can be a improbable choice for ESPN so as to add buzz to the sales space, however there’s nonetheless no less than one other yr of the NBA on TNT.
That cause would additionally disqualify Stan Van Gundy, as would the truth that he simply eviscerated the community for a way they handled his brother on the best way out.
