PTI - Winners and Losers of the NBA Draft!

Episode Date: June 25, 2026

Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornhesier discuss Blazers one year coach deal, NFL not holding supplemental draft for Sorsby, Brian Windhorst + more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Great news. The federal EV rebate is back. Eligible customers get up to $5,000 with the federal EVAP rebate on select 2027-volt and 2026 Equinox EV models. Visit your local Chevrolet dealer today for more details. Pardon the interruption, but I'm Mike Wilbon. Tony, a man just set a Guinness World Record by skateboarding across America in 39 days. Have you ever skateboarded? I'm Tony Kornheiser, not since I fully got chinnered on a 540 front. inside air with a mute grab. Not since then. What? Do I have to repeat it for you? Yeah. No. Fry. No. Shinnerd. I got that part. What? I know you in the 70s on roller skates.

No. Rollers skates on Long Island? Skateboarded on Long Island. Skateboarded in an island park on Long Island, a place called Oil City with a total dropout. It's a long time ago. Very impressive. I don't even know the skateboards were invented then. I was on something on wheels. Welcome to PTI, Boys and Girls. In today's episode, Micah Norrie's contract, Brendan Sordsby's future, and Brian Windhorst joins us for five good minutes. But we need to meet today with the first round of the NBA draft. The first four picks went as largely predicted. A.J. de Bonza to Washington, Darren Peterson to Utah, Cameron Boozer to Memphis, and Caleb

Wilson to Chicago. Sir. There were eight straight college freshmen taking to start the draft, and a total of seven draft night trades. Wilbon, you love the draft. Go. Well, Tony, I just made some notes here. I'm going to go to the glasses, even screen. quicker than you. Let me start with some things that are not those four. And yes, I loved

Caleb Wilson going to my bulls. Good for you. I am so excited about seeing AJ DeBancel locally here right around the corner. You and I can go watch him in person play for the Wizards. You can. And Darren Peterson could make, could convert, Utah is going to be a force in two years, if not right away. They are. Darren Peterson fits what they're doing. And the age boys know what they're doing. Now, let me go to what really got me. OKC. What are they doing? They're playing San Antonio, even now. They're playing San Antonio last night because they go and they get a DiMara,

the 7-foot-3 kid from Michigan who's winning a national championship ring, and they draft a guard, Bennett Sturts, which is a strong defensive guard who can shoot it. San Antonio to counter. They get Taurus Reed, and even before that,

they get Jaden Quaintons. Big, strong guys. Quaintance reminds me of a young Charles Oakley. You know what that's for. You know what that's about. when they got Wim Banayama, they don't want taking all this abuse. It's like they drafted security. They drafted bodyguards.

San Antonio and OKC can't resist each other. And the Lakers, I mean, I got to give Rob Polinkas some credit. They waded out patiently. They get Cameron Carr, who goes 40 inches off the ground and shoots the hell out of the three. And I wanted the Bulls to draft him with the 15th pick. They didn't get them. But the Lakers did.

Good for them. Now, you know, I did not watch one minute of the ground. Because you're watching the sorry. I did not watch one minute. I am not a draft person, not the NBA, not the NFL, not the NHL. I'm not a draft person. Because to me, it's like walking into a VFW hall and hearing a guy go B-14. That's all it is to me.

So it doesn't really matter to me. I'm glad that you have this analysis of it. But this morning, everybody tries to grade the draft. You can't, it's grading in a vacuum. You've never seen these people play with these teams. A couple of days ago, we did a happy anniversary to the 2018. draft, not that long ago, in which we both agreed that the top two

choices... Be redrafted. They be out of the top 10. DeAndre Aton and Marvin Baggley, right? They would be out of the top 10 at that point. If I had one question that I could have asked last night, I would have gone to Dusty May and I would have said, you got three Michigan guys here. Why did you pick this one? Easy. Okay, but that would have been

my one question. But you know why? You've watched it off Michigan. And by the way... That kid can help Cooper Flagg in the front court? He can't. I am curious about DeBanza. I am. I would have picked DeBanza. But how many people have to say that Peterson scores more, and Boozer is more complete, and Wilson has a larger upside?

That's all we hear. Four terrific players at the top, and we are going to see DeBanza, and we're going to get you out of the Nats gear and get you into some Wizards gear. I watched the Nats, because as you always say to me, watch games. I watched the games.

It was a thrilling game. It didn't end up on the right side for me. but I watched it. We'll get to that later. Yes, we will. Because your team, they gagged. They went Reggie. Oh, get.

Let's go to an unusual coaching contract in Portland. The Trailblazers hired longtime Timberwolves assistant Micah Nory to be their new head coach, but gave him just one year guaranteed with the team options, team options, for years two and three. T-Wolf's coach Chris Finch said, quote, I thought it was a shame that a lot of the story. about Micah's great opportunity was overshadowed by the nature of the deal that he signed close quote Tone is the short contract justifiably a bigger story than the hire itself let me just first say that I read what Chris Finch said I agree with it 100%. There are very few of these jobs they are precious if you get the

opportunity you I think you have to take it. If I'm if I'm answering this directly yes the length of the contract is a bigger deal than the hire there's there's just no question about that. Nobody knows who Michael Norrie is except for his friends. He's a guy in a quarter zip at a bench, like 10 or 15 guys at every single team. He may be a diamond in the rough. He may turn out to be great. This was, I believe, his seventh opportunity in an interview situation, and they offered the job, and he took it. They could fire him by January, because it's not going cost him anything because he's only on a one year. Or he could become the best coach in Portland since Rick Adelman and Jack Ramsey.

All true. But the story here is. And by the way, we both like Chris Finch. Chris Finch, a hell of a coach. Yeah. But Chris Finch, to me, should have gone out there with the job security he, yes, still has, and going to have for the next job if he goes to one.

He should have stepped out there and ripped the Portland owner, ripped him. A guy who wants to spend no money, and thank God he doesn't, because he let a hell of a coach Tiago Splitter walk out of a team. He led to the playoffs. You like him.

He's in Chicago. Extraordinary circumstances to my team. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Portland owner. He's just a guy who has decided, I'm going to do this my way and spend nothing. So let him.

But that's a story. And the coaches and the coaches association can't look at this and feel good about it in any way. Because you know what it says? A guy who takes a one-year deal like that feels insecure about never getting another job. So he takes a one-year deal. Let me ask you three questions.

You think John Calapari got a one-year deal at Arkansas? No, he didn't. You think Dustin May? You think he just got a one-year deal in Dallas? You think Chris Fitch got a one-year deal in Minneapolis? No, no, no. Do you think there's only one year for Lane Kiffin at LSU? No. No.

But he, you know what? I hope this guy wins 100 games because he's betting on himself. Good for him. Good for him. Just let a coach walk out of town who went 42 and 36 in Port. What is it? You're happy about it. I'm thrilled about it.

Let's go back to the Brendan Soresby News from yesterday. the Texas Tech quarterback who was banished by the NCAA for gambling and then legally won the right to play for Texas Tech, causing a hailstorm of pushback from the Big 12. Sorbsby then relinquished that right to declare for the NFL's supplemental draft. But the NFL says it won't hold a supplemental draft this year and told Sorbsby he can wait and enter the 2007 regular NFL draft. Will Bunn, did the NFL make the right call in denying Sorbsby the opportunity of a supplemental draft? I don't know right or wrong, but just from what we know, which may very well be only the tip of the iceberg, from what we know, the NFL is standing on solid ground

and it says, no, no, no, because we got all this stuff right here. Now, I know the stores being his representatives sound like there might be an appeal of some kind, either with the NCAA or elsewhere. To put them back in the house. But I would just say, are you sure you want discovery? Are you sure you want to go through the process? Because here's what the NFL's investigators know.

If there's more, they know it. And they'd be standing on even more solid ground. I was so surprised by this. I did not remember that the supplemental draft isn't held every year. I thought it was. It was like every generation. I didn't know that it was up to the discretion of the NFL. And it's written that way so that everybody other than me understand.

They bounced this kid. They told this kid to pound sand. This kid, now he gave up the right to go back to college unless he goes to a juco. Maybe he can go to a UFL or something like that. But basically what the NFL said was, you can't drive up here and order food like we're a takeout? You have not shown particular contrition about this.

And by the way, kid, we're on our clock. We're not on your clock. So I don't know what this kid does now. I don't see any recourse. There's no recourse in that. I thought the NFL was brilliant, but I will point out for you and for me. And powerful.

The NFL has contracts with gambling operations, as does the NBA and the NHL and baseball and this network that we have broadcasted. Yes. The NFL wants everybody to take accountability except the NFL. But again, Tony, all the leagues are like that.

It's their business and they got him by the short hairs. I don't know that anyone will object if they say take a year off and work on your gambling problem because they didn't banish him. They didn't ban him. You know what they did, Mike? They kind of sort of backdoor suspended up.

They wait list of them. That's what they do. Okay, but, but they don't have to let him in the 27 draft either. They said they would. They said they would do that. They said they would do that. I don't think he should skate. He gambled so much.

He had to know. Take a break. When we come back, what does Austin Reeves New Max deal with the Lakers mean for LeBron? We're going to ask Brian Windhorst. We'll also ask him about the heats plan. for Janus and what the Celtics may or may not be doing with. Jalen.

Brown. Don't athletes know you can't gamble on your sport. Shouldn't everybody know that? But you know what they do? They watch TV and they watch ads for all the leagues. I know. All the networks gamble on sports. I know.

From the producers of the horror classic Evil Dead. Our grandfather believed the devil would return if anyone read from the Book of the Dead. Kundal. We found you. On July 10th What do we do to deserve this? Every family We can all be reunited

Has its demons I can never have lived without you I won't let you live without me Evil Dead Burn Only in theaters July 10th Let's get back into the NBA With some bigger picture questions For our great friend ESPN

Senior Writer Brian Winthorce Brian let's start with this The Lakers agreed with Austin Reeves On a Max deal What does this mean for LeBron? So this is a strange situation. Wilbon, watch how I make Tony freak out here when I say these words. Austin Reeves signing this contract does not affect the Lakers salary cap.

They can still spend the exact same amount of money they could be for, even though he signed a max. However, every dollar that LeBron signs for is one less dollar that the Lakers can give another free agent. And that right there is why NBA teams have 10-person strategy. capology departments. And so this is the complex nature. The Lakers still have to be very careful with what they give to LeBron James because every dollar they give him is less money they can give somebody else. And while I believe that Austin Reeves and Luca Donchich are a powerhouse backcourt

and will score a ton of points and will lead to many wins, if you have those two guys as your backcourt, making $100 million a year because that's what they're going to make pretty soon here, you've got to have a back line to help them. You've got to have a rim protecting center and you've got to have wings that can defend and that's expensive. So the Lakers got to figure out who those players are

and then what's left over offer LeBron James. Will he accept that? Does LeBron understand and agree with the concept that Austin's money doesn't affect his money? We'll find out. I got to go off script and ask a follow up. I am so excited by the notion

that LeBron could be sort of seduced by Steph Curry to play in Golden State. Are you giving that any run, any run in your thoughts at all about where LeBron might be? I really think there's only a couple of places LeBron would consider. The Warriors would be on that short list. But I do think he's got to decide and make his business and his peace with the Lakers before he can even consider that. Okay, okay. Alex, NBA finances 4,000.

The heat, of course, landed Janus. I know from us talking and listening to you yesterday, they got to make more. moves the heat to like fill in a roster, what else do you think they can and actually will do? Yeah, so the first thing they got to do is they got to come to a deal with Andrew Wiggins. Wiggins has a player option for $30 million. They don't want them to make $30 million, okay? They want to come to agreement with them where they give them more money and they spread it out over a couple of years. And that gives them a little bit of room.

And the reason they need that room, guys, is because, again, Capology 101. They've only got $18 million dollars and they got to sign five players. not $18 million in theory, not $18 million plus an exception or whatever, $18 million. And that is hard to fill out a team. And they are not going to probably be able to retain Norm Powell, who was their All-Star last year. They're going to have to get shooting around him. They're going to have to get ball handling around him. And really, I think that the heat are going to have a terrific defensive front line.

I really think they're going to win a lot of games playing that way. But it might take a couple of transaction cycles to restock this roster. I'm talking about this summer. maybe next trade deadline, and maybe even next summer. I think the heat will be at there. I think they'll be fun to watch this year, but I think they will be more competitive towards a title competition in 27, 28, not 26, 27. We'll change them slightly, Alex, and go NBA in your feelings for a thousand.

The Celtics, of course, did not trade Jalen Brown. And yet, Brad Stevens says Brown is a big part of us. Hmm, what do you think is going to happen here, Brian? Well, he said many words about Jalen Brown after the draft last night, but none of those words were, I'm not going to trade him. Okay? And he also said that he met with Jalen Brown before this process started to communicate with him where the organization was.

Basically, they were telling him, we might trade you. And you don't do that unless you're really seriously intending to trade him. And so while they didn't find this deal with Yonis, I do think that there will be other opportunities for them. I think their phone, they don't even have to make the calls. Once the league found out that Jalen was available, I think they've been getting lots of reachouts. They're going to have multiple different trade options,

and they'll probably try to pick one. I suspect Jalen Brown, not for sure, but I suspect he's played his last game as a Celtic. You know, I would have voted for him for MVP this year. I would have done that. Let's get you out of here on this. What does the thunder drafting 7 foot three of DiMara mean for their other bigs,

Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein? It means that Victor Wimbunyanama is a beast, and they need all the help they can get. Those guys are all going to be back. You didn't even mention Tomas Sorber, who they drafted in the first round last year, got injured and missed this year. I had a chance to talk to Adimara

right after he got drafted within 90 seconds of him talking. He was talking about going up and facing Victor Wenbanyama, knowing that he might face him, and the Thunder need him to do so. That's one of the reasons why the Thunder drafted him. He's not afraid of that. You need a village to deal with Victor Wenbanyama. know that it's even possible they could play 7 foot 2,

Chet Holmgren and 7 foot 4 Mara together in some incredibly crazy long back line if they had to against the team. And by the way, the Spurs, they drafted two big men yesterday as well. There is a size arms race going on in the Western Conference. That's why the Lakers really need big men immediately. This is great. Thank you so much, Brian. Thank you. Appreciate it.

Take care, guys. Let's take one last break, still to come. Maricio Pochitino, or is it, Patrick? Potchitino. Potchino. He says he's open to staying on as head coach in the United States men's soccer team. That's good idea, isn't it? Yeah, unless they get blown out in the knockout round.

What? I think it's Pochatino. I think it's Potchino. Tony's Nat's suffer an epic collapse last night. I was on the phone with him. Right, I was watching. What's whining? No, no.

I think it's Pochatatino. In my ear, they said Pochatatino. In my ear, somebody's saying Pochatitino. Get rid of the guy in your ear. Happy time, people. Happy 68th birthday, John Tortorella. Torts! Whoever thought the Torts would be out of a job after coming in late to keep the Vegas Golden Knights from capsizing? Tortorella finished the regular season 7-0-1, got all the way to the Stanley Cup final series,

on the way he swept Colorado, the best team in the league. But even after leaving his clothes in Raleigh, with a promise he'd be back for Game 7, Torderella could not get Vegas through game 6. A few days later, the Golden Knights hired 44-year-old. 44-year-old Ryan Craig from their minor league system to coach Vegas. Tordarello on a Stanley Cup with Tampa Bay. He's twice been coach of the year in a coaching career spanning 24 seasons or parts thereof. If you're torts, why do you need to work between Halloween and Easter anyway?

You just wait. Somebody goes like this. You come in wherever you're needed to a contender in the playoffs and let's go. It's the Lou Lamarillo symbol. That's what it is. Happy anniversary, Phillies. On this day, two years ago, the Phillies turned a rare 1-35 triple play. Major League Baseball's first 1-35 since 1929 to highlight an 8-1 win over the Tigers in Detroit.

Tiger hit her Matt Verling hit a broken bat line drive back to pitcher Aaron Nola, who caught it for the first out, then threw to first baseman Bryce Harper to double up base runner Carson Kelly. Harper then threw the ball to third baseman Alec Bowman to force out Zach McKinstreet, who had broken for home thinking the ball was a base hit. It's a dugout. According to the Sabre database, triple plays are so rare. There have only been 800 such plays since the first one in 1876. How many unassisted triple plays do you think there have been?

One. One. 15. 15. As recently, one is 2009. I would never gotten that either. No, I wouldn't have. Way more.

I would have said one. I did say one. I did say one. Exactly. Happy trails to lollipops on the field for jazz Chisham. Yankee manager Aaron Boone yesterday banned his second. basement from eating lollipops while playing the field or at bat after cameras caught Chisholm doing both recently. Chisholm went on to hit a two-run, go-ahead home run last night and celebrated by showing

off the lollipop container to the dugout camera, said Chisholm, quote, I couldn't resist it. My teammates were egging me on, unquote, said Boone, quote, the lollipop kid came through tonight in a big way. He can have all the lollipops he wants now. As long as he doesn't take it out to second base with him, we're good. What a great nickname, the lollipop. You're in New York with every marketing so-and-so in the world. Why wouldn't you turn this into something big? But would you allow him to have a lollipop's out on the field? On the field?

Dusty Baker had a toothpick. What a Ricky Henderson had a toothpick too? This is more important. A bonus happy trails to a short win from my nationals. The Nats scored 3 in the 8th to go up 8, 6 on the Phillies last night. They had the Phillies down to their final strike with the bases empty and the 9th one. It all fell apart. Trey Turner single, Brandon Marshall,

Homer to tie the game. Three batters later, Bryson Stott had a three-run homer. In all, the Phillies scored eight runs on eight straight hits and won 14 to nine. The Nats lost the game to the Giants a month ago in which they've been up nine to one in the eight. This is worse. This was at home against the division rival. And you know what? It was one of the greatest games I've ever watched. I didn't know my team lost. Wilburne you laughed at me because I was watching this instead of the draft. Because you got one TV like you're Ralph Cramden. It's not 1958 Norton. What are you doing? In the words of Ralph Cramven, bang zoom.

Okay? Let's go to the big finish. The IOC set up a fund of more than $100 million to award $10,000 grants to Olympic athletes through the 2008 Olympics. That's significant. St. Graham might not get you what it used to, but to some people is going to be very significant.

Yes. Raphael Deverez apologized to manager Tony Fitello for trying to wave off that pitch run to the other night. Your thoughts? A public apology is important. So he doesn't look like an ego maniac, which everybody assumes he is to begin with. Your Cubs put two more starters on the IEL,

Ben Brown and Edward Cabrera. How's that taste? It's tough. This is a bad year for us. I might go and start throwing my support just for the summer this year to the South Siders. I might just get lost.

Okay. On the way, get off the 35th Street. Will they let you throw out the first pitch? They would ban me from Rigney Field if I actually do that. Mauricio Pocitino says he's open to continuing as U.S. coach. Does that even matter?

What do he thinks? Can we just call him, because Pooch is such a great deacon. Does it even make sense? Look, if he does well with this team, of course we're going to want him back. Of course we will. But he's going to get great opportunities everywhere else.

Last one, both Tari and Shohey and Tani pitch tonight. Who are you more interested in watching? Scoobles is going against the young. That's a big deal. That's a big deal. That's an old-fashioned time. Against an I-95 team, huh? We're out of time.

Try to do better than next time. Happy birthday, Walkman, nine years old. Wow. I'm Mike Wilbon. Same time tomorrow, knuckleheads.