# bucher-and-friends (audio feeds) — RSS Amplifier Recent posts from the 1 feeds in the RSS Amplifier directory that cover bucher-and-friends. Page: Feed: --- ## [The NBA Has Made Winning Too Expensive](https://shows.acast.com/bucher-and-friends/episodes/the-nba-has-made-winning-too-expensive) _2026-08-21 · On The Ball with Ric Bucher_ Ric Bucher opens this episode of On The Ball by addressing the backlash to his recent WNBA commentary — including criticism from former ESPN colleague Jemele Hill — and explains why he believes social-media outrage routinely turns nuanced arguments into something they were never intended to be. Then comes the bigger NBA issue: Are teams still being constructed primarily to win championships? The… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/f66edc52-c9ac-4e17-bf90-6f1121579b75/e/6a88e493e96a6b6c1933a87a/media.mp3) ## [Landry Fields: Project B Has Players Signed — And the Men’s Stars Are Coming](https://shows.acast.com/bucher-and-friends/episodes/landry-fields-project-b-has-players-signed-and-the-mens-star) _2026-08-18 · On The Ball with Ric Bucher_ Former NBA player and Atlanta Hawks GM Landry Fields joins Ric Bucher for a special edition of On The Ball to pull back the curtain on Project B , the ambitious new global basketball league aiming to rethink how professional basketball is played, presented and consumed. Fields, now Project B’s head of men’s basketball, confirms that players are already signed , says recognizable names are coming… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/f66edc52-c9ac-4e17-bf90-6f1121579b75/e/6a83ef2f9cb9faa61ab4e1f4/media.mp3) ## [The WNBA’s Real Problem Isn’t Caitlin Clark, Trans Athletes or Hard Fouls — It’s the NBA](https://shows.acast.com/bucher-and-friends/episodes/the-wnbas-real-problem-isnt-caitlin-clark-trans-athletes-or) _2026-08-13 · On The Ball with Ric Bucher_ The WNBA is generating more attention than ever, but Ric Bucher argues that the controversies dominating the conversation — Caitlin Clark, officiating, physical play, transgender athletes, player conduct and media coverage — are symptoms of a much deeper problem. The real issue? The NBA owners who collectively have a stake in the WNBA don’t care enough about it to demand that it operate with the… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/f66edc52-c9ac-4e17-bf90-6f1121579b75/e/6a7dffa2ff328abd842fce80/media.mp3) ## [Jalen Brunson Gave Up $113 Million to Join the NBA’s Most Exclusive Club](https://shows.acast.com/bucher-and-friends/episodes/jalen-brunson-gave-up-113-million-to-join-the-nbas-most-excl) _2026-08-07 · On The Ball with Ric Bucher_ Jalen Brunson is now an NBA champion, a Finals MVP and a New York Knicks legend — and Ric Bucher argues that the decision that helped make it possible reveals an uncomfortable truth about what most NBA players actually value. On this episode of On The Ball , Ric revisits Carmelo Anthony’s admission that he wouldn’t have left $113 million on the table the way Brunson did. Melo’s comments aren’t… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/f66edc52-c9ac-4e17-bf90-6f1121579b75/e/6a7543e6676fd7391f8d89db/media.mp3) ## [Pump the Brakes on the Sixers: Why LeBron James & Jaylen Brown Don't Make Philadelphia NBA Favorites](https://shows.acast.com/bucher-and-friends/episodes/pump-the-brakes-on-the-sixers-why-lebron-james-jaylen-brown) _2026-07-30 · On The Ball with Ric Bucher_ The NBA media has already crowned the Philadelphia 76ers after adding LeBron James and Jaylen Brown . Ric Bucher isn't buying it. In this episode of On The Ball , Ric explains why championship teams aren't assembled overnight—and why history says Philadelphia still has major questions to answer despite boasting LeBron, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. He breaks down the importance of… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/f66edc52-c9ac-4e17-bf90-6f1121579b75/e/6a6b9bd40bf0e6212fff4a36/media.mp3) ## [The NBA Is Waiting on LeBron—But Not for the Reason You Think](https://shows.acast.com/bucher-and-friends/episodes/the-nba-is-waiting-on-lebronbut-not-for-the-reason-you-think) _2026-07-24 · On The Ball with Ric Bucher_ LeBron James may still dominate headlines, but has he lost the leverage that defined the second half of his career? In this episode of On The Ball , Ric Bucher explains why the NBA's fascination with LeBron shouldn't be mistaken for front-office demand, why Luka Dončić changed everything for the Lakers, and why Cleveland may be the only destination that truly makes basketball—and emotional—sense.… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/f66edc52-c9ac-4e17-bf90-6f1121579b75/e/6a62b4445092e5d57154ac32/media.mp3) ## [Is the NBA Finally Growing Up? Why LeBron's Era Is Ending and a New Generation Is Changing Everything](https://shows.acast.com/bucher-and-friends/episodes/is-the-nba-finally-growing-up-why-lebrons-era-is-ending-and) _2026-07-17 · On The Ball with Ric Bucher_ Is the NBA entering a new era where winning matters more than max contracts, player empowerment and personal brands? Ric Bucher explains why Jalen Brunson, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama may be redefining what it means to be an NBA superstar by sacrificing money for championship opportunities. He also examines how recent collective bargaining agreements have shifted power back to… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/f66edc52-c9ac-4e17-bf90-6f1121579b75/e/6a59cb5462e50b14bd7ca91b/media.mp3) ## [The NBA's Soul Is for Sale—Why Jalen Brunson Just Proved There's Still Hope](https://shows.acast.com/bucher-and-friends/episodes/the-nbas-soul-is-for-salewhy-jalen-brunson-just-proved-there) _2026-07-10 · On The Ball with Ric Bucher_ Has the NBA lost sight of what made it great? In this episode of On The Ball , Ric Bucher argues that professional basketball has drifted away from championships, community and competitive integrity—and toward gambling, profits and personal brands. Against that backdrop, one player stands apart: Jalen Brunson , whose willingness to sacrifice more than $100 million to give the New York Knicks their… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/f66edc52-c9ac-4e17-bf90-6f1121579b75/e/6a509eb281fe1f64607411a0/media.mp3) ## [Why the Celtics Gave Up on Jaylen Brown, the Lakers Race Debate Goes Off the Rails & LeBron's Last Move](https://shows.acast.com/bucher-and-friends/episodes/why-the-celtics-gave-up-on-jaylen-brown-the-lakers-race-deba) _2026-07-03 · On The Ball with Ric Bucher_ Did the Boston Celtics really make a franchise-defining mistake by trading Jaylen Brown —or was it an inevitable business decision years in the making? In this episode of On The Ball , Ric Bucher separates emotion from reality by breaking down why Boston moved on from Brown despite his championship pedigree, why the NBA's salary cap—not personality or politics—was the driving force, and what… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/f66edc52-c9ac-4e17-bf90-6f1121579b75/e/6a4831b98890f0eef340312e/media.mp3) ## [The NBA Just Flipped Upside Down: Why the Hornets Won, Giannis Changed Everything & ESPN Still Won't Stop Protecting LeBron](https://shows.acast.com/bucher-and-friends/episodes/the-nba-just-flipped-upside-down-why-the-hornets-won-giannis) _2026-06-27 · On The Ball with Ric Bucher_ The NBA Draft delivered far more than new faces—it reshaped the league. In this episode of On The Ball , Ric Bucher explains why the Charlotte Hornets may have quietly assembled one of the smartest rosters in basketball while the Minnesota Timberwolves may have doubled down on talent without solving their biggest problem. Ric also breaks down the blockbuster trade sending Giannis Antetokounmpo to… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/f66edc52-c9ac-4e17-bf90-6f1121579b75/e/6a3f887f6b6690f46a2a6c50/media.mp3) ## [Dissecting Series A Rounds (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/2w3FPuzkcejI) _2026-06-27 · **Sponsored**_ Two real Series A cases: timelines, investor sequencing, and common founder mistakes. ## [Why Jalen Brunson’s Knicks Title Means More Than Any Ranking Ever Could | On The Ball with Ric Bucher](https://shows.acast.com/bucher-and-friends/episodes/why-jalen-brunsons-knicks-title-means-more-than-any-ranking) _2026-06-22 · On The Ball with Ric Bucher_ The Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks finally delivered New York's first NBA championship in 53 years, but Ric Bucher believes the rush to rank Brunson among the all-time greats misses the real story. In this episode of On The Ball , Ric explains why Brunson's greatness has less to do with historical comparisons and more to do with maximizing every ounce of ability, leadership, resilience and… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/f66edc52-c9ac-4e17-bf90-6f1121579b75/e/6a38e30bb53e8a6e08970e95/media.mp3)