ESPN sideline reporter Brian Windhorst is spreading rumors in the NBA. After getting the credit for creating the term ‘The Deal Zone’ of Philadelphia 76ers’ pursuit of James Harden, the 44-year-old is predicting another team to make another move this past off-season. Utah Jazz is the team he predicted would make a trade, but he said it was something planned by the franchise.
Brian Windhorst, an ESPN sideline reporter, is making headlines throughout the NBA. After coining the phrase ‘The Deal Zone’ in reference to the Philadelphia 76ers’ pursuit of James Harden, the 44-year-old predicts that another team will make another move this off-season. The Utah Jazz were the team he predicted would make a deal, although he stated that it was arranged by the franchise.
Brian Windhorst just ran the First Take desk in circles. They were hanging on his every word for 2+ minutes 😂😂. Absolute masterclass. pic.twitter.com/Q1vn6mD9iz
— Steven Cheah (@StevenCheah) July 1, 2022
Windhorst said the Jazz will make a trade and that they were up to something. He noted that the Jazz made a strange move with the Nets following Kevin Durant requesting a trade to the Nets. Additionally, Windhorst was connecting the dots about what Jazz has been doing lately, which he revealed in a video of the First Take episode about the Nets-Jazz trade.
Windhorst on Jazz trade
The suggestion started when the Jazz were ready to trade either or both Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. Both players have long participated in the NBA regular season and playoffs, despite the team always advancing as far as they can and getting ousted in the second round.
On Thursday, Utah Jazz sealed the deal with the Brooklyn Nets and agreed to a two-team trade. Utah would send Royce O’Neale in exchange for a first-round pick with Brooklyn. By that trade, Windhorst said he was focused on the Nets’ side and he said that he was most curious about what Utah was doing.
During Friday’s episode of First Take, Windhorst said in front of the show’s panel about his take and confusion on Jazz. He said what he had been thinking lately about Jazz and the trade on the 131-second clip.
Finding out on Twitter I got traded. Now I know how it feels. https://t.co/MLTFCD6zJ6
— Royce Young (@royceyoung) July 1, 2022
“I’m gonna tell you something happened yesterday that league executives are wondering what the heck it means,” Windhorst said, “and it happened within five minutes.”
After the video made the 15-second mark, he said the subject was Thursday’s Jazz-Nets trade. Windhorst said there was “something” and the trade between two teams is “very strange” to be real.
“It’s a very strange trade, a very strange trade,” he said. So, you’re going, what do you care about Royce O’Neale? Why does that matter?” Windhorst said.
However, he said that only Jazz or Nets fans would know what he was talking about. He insisted that Utah will do something after the O’Neale trade.
“Why would the Jazz, who have two stars on their roster, take a player who’s one of their starters and best defensive players, and trade him in a salary dumping move? Why would they do that?” he said.
Jazz trade away Gobert’s reaction
Windhorst talked and wondered how the Jazz would want to trade one of their best defenders and starters for picks and a bunch of players. He also discussed the trade movement for one of the Jazz stars. After the take from Windhorst, the Jazz traded away All-Star center Rudy Gobert for several hours.
Windy knew pic.twitter.com/SKS06nboRv
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) July 1, 2022
Once the Gobert trade was announced, NBA analysts and fans went on Twitter to praise Windhorst’s prediction on what Jazz had been up to.
“I get back to my phone and see Gobert has been traded… a few hours after @WindhorstESPN’s whodunit tour de force this morning,” FS1’s Nick Wright tweeted.
ESPN’s Field Yates had a short reaction on Twitter and talked about the Windhorst said before the trade. “Windy knew,” Yates tweeted.
Similar to what Yates said, Bonta Hill of The Morning Show said that Windhorst already sniffed out the Jazz move. “Gotta give Brian Windhorst credit,” Hill tweeted.