Quote · The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Giannis Never-Trade and a Mega-Mailbag With Zach Lowe, Plus Wyndham Clark’s Second U.S. Open Title With Joe House
Where this was said
Mega-mailbag
At 1:04:00 · chapter starts 24:46
Joshua from the mailbag proposes an NBA brothers 2-on-2 All-Star tournament, and Simmons works through eight pairings: the Thompsons, the Harpers (Dylan and Ron Jr.), the Wagners, the Williams brothers, the Holidays, the Wallaces, and the Currys. Simmons likes the Thompson twins at minus-140 in the finals against the Harpers. Lowe loves the concept but would make Giannis choose only one brother, creating generational family trauma in the process. The Stutz email raises the Luka-Brunson Mavericks as a rival to OKC's Durant-Westbrook-Harden team as the century's biggest 'what if we kept this together' tragedy; both hosts go with OKC because all three won MVPs and made the Finals together, providing proof of concept. The Dantley-Rodman parallel emerges as the best historical frame for Fox and Harper in San Antonio: eventually the younger player's minutes demand forces a trade, and Detroit won two titles afterward. The Fox contract discussion ($221M for 4 years) lands it as a top-5 worst contract candidate given signs of declining athleticism.
Running all eight recent champions through a simulated bracket, Simmons and Lowe both independently landed on the 2023 Nuggets as the winner. Jokic's playoff heater — roughly 31-14-11 with 50% from three — makes that team nearly impossible to beat.
Nikola Jokic's 2023 playoff run featured approximately 31 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists per game while shooting around 50% from three.
In the 2026 playoffs, OKC needed 7 games to beat a Denver team missing Michael Porter Jr. (one arm) and Aaron Gordon (one leg), raising questions about their postseason dominance.
In Simmons and Lowe's simulated tournament of the last 8 NBA champions, the 2023 Nuggets defeated the 2026 Knicks in the finals, making them the best team of the group.
Denver won't trade Jokic, but if they did, Utah's package — headlined by the No. 2 pick and Markkanen — is the only offer close to sufficient. OKC and Houston have interesting assets too, but the Jazz are the one team that could make a true 'screw you' offer.
16-3 in the playoffs. Greatest point differential in playoff history. A 53-year drought ended. The Wembenyama collision. The greatest comeback in NBA history. Zach Lowe makes the case: this is a maximum-prestige championship.
The 2026 Knicks went 16-3 in the playoffs, posting the greatest point differential in playoff history and ending a 53-year title drought.
