Nick Wright and Colin Cowherd addressed two major issues plaguing the NBA during an episode of The Colin Cowherd Podcast: load management and the league’s over-reliance on three-point shooting. Both commentators expressed concerns that the current trends in the NBA could be detrimental to the sport’s long-term popularity if not addressed with significant changes.
Nick Wright: “I’m worried about basketball. I am legitimately worried about the NBA because they have two massive issues that everyone knows is a problem, and I don’t know that they have the stomach for the change that’s needed.”
“One is one that’s been talked about a ton historically which is the load management superstars not playing whatever it is.”
“I will give a quick anecdote on why that’s my thoughts on that then I’ll get to the real thing. I was in LA for 72 hours over Thanksgiving because our son lives there and we brought Thanksgiving to him essentially that Friday night, Lakers-Thunder. And I’m like, you know what? My wife’s grandparents are with us. They’re 91 and 93.”
“They love LeBron. I’ve never seen him play. And I’m like, you know what? What’s the point of making money if you don’t spend it on stuff like this? Him at noon with full confidence. Well, LeBron’s going to play because LeBron plays.”
“You know what I mean? Like LeBron, did he get hurt last night? Then he’s playing like, even though he’s the oldest guy in the league. And if it were any other superstar, I would have, when my wife mentioned to me should we do it, I would have said yes but let’s wait until like five o’clock to find out.”
“That’s terrible for the business the other thing that is getting a lot of attention is the NBA’s at its core the NBA’s popularity is based on is that dude flying, holy s**t. Not here’s another 35-footer.”
“And strategically, just like the shift, strategically was smart, but from a television product, it was a disaster. Every game looks the same. There’s no different styles, there’s no anything. And we’re minimizing athleticism. Ja Morant goes on the record, is like, I’m done dunking.”
“Anthony Edwards taking 13 threes a game. It’s clearly a disaster. A disaster. Yes. And so when I say massive changes, what I mean is have a real conversation about, hey, dunks are also worth three now. I don’t care what it does.”
Colin Cowherd: “Or this. Two suggestions. One, and I said this seven years ago on the air and had a graphic, take out the corner three. It’s impossible to defend.”
Nick Wright: “Agreed. That should be done tomorrow.”
Colin Cowherd: “Yeah, so it goes right into the bench.”
Nick Wright: “Six inches. Make it a real arc.”
Colin Cowherd: “Yep. And so that’s just much easier to defend. You can be on players. Or this would be my, this is something I’ve thought about as well. And I don’t know, I think you could do this is that you get 15 a game. Whatever it is, 45 points, which is 40 points of your 40% of your offense.”
Nick Wright: “By the way, you can still shoot them after that, but they’re worth two. There’s um Kurt Goldsberry had the idea years ago. I thought was Fascinating which was you know how baseball stadiums? Everyone picks their own dimensions.”
“You got a green monster. You got a short porch of Yankee Stadium, Royal Stadium is cavernous Kurt Goldsberry says each year every team Draws their three-point line and if you And the I and I know that sounds ridiculous, but his point was Some teams will be like we don’t have one well, that’s not who we are.”
“We’re building an old-school, Beat you up, that you know what? I mean big man style the Blazers when they had prime Dame Lillard might have been like, ours is from 37 feet out, because we have the one guy who can.”
“And if that were the case, you would know, man, I better be able to play a bunch of different ways, score a bunch of different ways, because s**t, tonight we’re in Oklahoma City, and there’s no threes. Whatever.”
“So I don’t know the exact right answer. What I know is this. If the NBA does not make a massive change, it is in huge trouble. Because they have still, they’re still suckling off the teat of LeBron, Steph, KD. Your most popular players are the oldest.”
Colin Cowherd: “If Ja Morant and Ant Edwards do not dunk, the, one of the, I mean the Jordan logo, if you really think of even Dr. J’s highlights today, Connie Hopkins when I was a kid, they’re all relevant.”
Wright highlighted how load management, where star players sit out games to preserve their health, negatively affects fan experiences. He shared a personal anecdote about attending a Lakers-Thunder game with his family during Thanksgiving, primarily to see LeBron James play.
Wright noted that while he was confident LeBron would suit up—because of his reputation for consistently playing—he wouldn’t have made the same assumption for other stars. This uncertainty, he argued, is bad for business as fans hesitate to buy tickets without guarantees of seeing marquee players in action.
Both Wright and Cowherd critiqued the NBA’s heavy reliance on three-point shooting, suggesting it has made the game monotonous. Wright emphasized how the league’s appeal historically revolved around athleticism, such as jaw-dropping dunks, which are now overshadowed by players repeatedly taking deep shots. He cited Ja Morant’s reluctance to dunk and Anthony Edwards’ increasing reliance on three-pointers as signs of a strategic and stylistic shift that minimizes the excitement of the game.
To address these issues, Cowherd and Wright proposed several unconventional solutions. Cowherd suggested removing the corner three-pointer altogether, pointing out that it is nearly impossible to defend due to its proximity to the basket. Wright agreed, advocating for a reconfiguration of the three-point line to create a true arc that eliminates easy corner shots.
Wright also floated the idea of modifying scoring rules, such as making dunks worth three points to reward athleticism and incentivize exciting plays. Additionally, he referenced a proposal by basketball analyst Kirk Goldsberry: allowing teams to customize their court dimensions, similar to baseball stadiums.
For example, teams could choose to extend their three-point line significantly if they have elite shooters or eliminate it entirely to prioritize inside scoring. This would force teams to adopt diverse strategies and ensure a more varied and engaging style of play.
Both Wright and Cowherd noted that the NBA’s most popular players—LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant—are among the league’s oldest. They expressed concern that younger stars like Ja Morant and Anthony Edwards are not embracing the athletic, highlight-reel plays that once defined the league. This generational gap in appeal, they warned, could hurt the NBA as it transitions away from its current icons.
Wright and Cowherd concluded that without bold and creative changes, the NBA risks alienating fans and losing its unique identity. By addressing load management and revitalizing the style of play, the league can maintain its appeal and ensure a dynamic future.
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