NBA Free Agency With Brian Windhorst, World Cup, Balogun's Red Card Suspended And People Are Big Mad At The US, Taylor Swift/Travis Kelce Wedding + Mt Rushmore Of Weapons
Episode of Pardon My Take · July 6, 2026 · 2 h 29 min
Pardon My Take hosts celebrate Folarin Balogun's suspended suspension at the World Cup, draft a Mount Rushmore of weapons, and debate NBA free agency with Brian Windhorst.
Summary
Dan Katz, PFT Commenter and Zach opened by reacting to FIFA suspending the one-match suspension of U.S. striker Folarin Balogun ahead of the United States' knockout match against Belgium. The hosts argued the original red card was wrong and improperly aided by VAR, dismissed European complaints that American government pressure was involved, and cited FIFA's past controversies. They also discussed Croatia–Portugal's disputed sensor-based offside call, Cape Verde's near upset of Argentina, Brazil's elimination, and briefly phoned Hank Lockwood, who was dealing with travel problems.
After a segment on MLB All-Star voting and Home Run Derby rules, the hosts ran Who's Back of the Week: Mitchell Robinson joining the Celtics, the Taylor Swift–Travis Kelce wedding at Madison Square Garden, Joey Chestnut's latest hot dog title, an England fan found in a Barcelona pub after his family thought he was missing, and Erling Haaland's LAN parties. They then held a no-Google Mount Rushmore of weapons draft, with PFT taking the nuclear bomb, sword, rocket launcher and fists.
Brian Windhorst joined to defend his criticism of the Washington Wizards' four-year max contract for Trae Young, eventually conceding to PFT only that it was "one of" the worst contracts. Windhorst said Jaylen Brown's trade value had been surprisingly low because teams now weigh salary against production under a second apron that clubs treat like a hard cap. He discussed LeBron James's free agency, saying the Cavaliers talk was based on vibes, that Draymond Green likely opted out knowing LeBron was leaving the Lakers, and that a rival league involving LeBron and Maverick Carter showed no sign of moving forward. He named the Utah Jazz as a team to watch and flagged Nikola Jokić's unsigned extension as a potential storyline in Denver.
Chapters
- 3:37
Balogun's suspension is suspended
The hosts celebrate FIFA suspending Folarin Balogun's one-game ban and mock European outrage over alleged U.S. interference.
- 20:45
Sensor balls and the Croatia–Portugal offside
PFT questions whether ball-chip sensors are synced with cameras after a disputed offside call against Croatia.
Linked moment · 25:24Skip to 25:24 using a listen link in the info box.
25:24Calling Hank and other World Cup results
The hosts phone a travel-stranded Hank Lockwood and review Brazil's exit, Cape Verde versus Argentina and the tournament's appeal.
- 34:14
MLB All-Stars and LeBron talk
The group discusses All-Star voting, Home Run Derby format changes and where LeBron James might sign.
- 40:28
Who's Back of the Week
Picks include Mitchell Robinson, the Swift–Kelce wedding, Joey Chestnut, a missing England fan and Erling Haaland's LAN parties.
- 56:38
Mount Rushmore of weapons
Katz, PFT and Zach draft weapons without Googling, then list honorable mentions from drones to nostalgia.
- 1:23:25
Windhorst defends his Trae Young take
Brian Windhorst and PFT debate whether the Wizards' Trae Young max deal is the NBA's worst contract.
- 1:35:41
The Jaylen Brown trade and the second apron
Windhorst explains the low market for Jaylen Brown and how the second apron has changed team behavior.
- 1:47:10
LeBron's free agency and Rich Paul's whiteboard
Windhorst discusses the teams in LeBron's orbit, Draymond Green's opt-out and LeBron's documentary cameras.
- 2:10:53
LeBron's rival league idea
Windhorst recounts an agent's account of LeBron and Maverick Carter discussing a Saudi-backed rival league.
- 2:16:08
Jazz, Jokić and wrap-up
Windhorst names Utah as a team to watch, assesses Jokić's extension situation and reminisces about the Wizards; the hosts close with the lottery ball.
Key points
What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.
- PFT Commenter
PFT Commenter argues Balogun's foul was not reckless and should not have been a red card.
“Doesn't matter if it was intentional or not, but it was not reckless. He did not go in recklessly”
- PFT Commenter
PFT Commenter argues the U.S. has never before benefited from FIFA corruption and has been left out.
“Listen, the United States has never benefited from FIFA's corruption before, and it feels like we've been left out of that party”
- Dan Katz
Dan Katz criticizes VAR for slowing soccer matches down.
“The VAR, it just slows everything down. It's just fucking crazy”
- PFT Commenter
PFT Commenter doubts that the ball's sensor data is synchronized with stadium cameras for offside calls.
“there's no chance that it is perfectly aligned with the 50 cameras that are running concurrently in the stadium on live TV at any given time”
- PFT Commenter
PFT Commenter calls a World Cup played in American time zones the best tournament in sports.
“The World Cup, when it's in your time zone and you can watch it at the time that God meant you to watch sports, there's no better tournament in the world than this”
- PFT Commenter
PFT Commenter contends Trae Young's contract is not a crippling burden on the Wizards.
“I don't think that he's an albatross around the neck of the Washington Wizards with that contract that he has”
- Brian Windhorst
Windhorst argues that teams can no longer afford massive overpays and that no other team was bidding at Trae Young's price.
“right now, you cannot afford to have a contract on your books that's a massive overpay. And there was nobody bidding that for Trey Young”
- Brian Windhorst
Windhorst claims the Wizards promised Trae Young a new deal in exchange for sitting him out while they pursued the top draft pick.
“So they told him like, Trey, we're going to take care of you. don't worry, so we're on the same page, we're invested in you, we're gonna bench you”
- Brian Windhorst
Windhorst concedes he should have called Young's deal one of the worst contracts rather than the worst.
“But okay, if that's what you want, I'll concede that, that I should have said one of the worst contracts”
- Brian Windhorst
Windhorst says teams were wary of Jaylen Brown's salary and his likely demand for a bigger extension.
“They just saw a $60 million player who wanted $70 million, who probably would have wanted $70 million a year”
Listen from 1:38:36 · Jaylen Brown trade to the Philadelphia 76ers
- Brian Windhorst
Windhorst says a reported rift with Jayson Tatum was not the main reason for the trade; Boston wanted to spend more efficiently.
“The driving factor was Boston felt like it could spend the money more efficiently”
Listen from 1:41:10 · Jaylen Brown trade to the Philadelphia 76ers
- Dan Katz
Dan Katz argues the NBA is strongest with dynasties, which the second apron discourages.
“I think the NBA has been the strongest when there has been dynasties and you have those storylines”
- Brian WindhorstPrediction · due Dec 2028
Windhorst predicts that within a couple of years some NBA contracts will include $80 million seasons.
“There will be players in the next couple of years where there will be years on their contract where it's $80 million”
- Brian Windhorst
Windhorst says teams treat the second apron like a hard cap.
“the second apron is the way the teams are acting. they're acting like it's a hard cap. Nobody has been in it two consecutive years”
- Brian Windhorst
Windhorst believes LeBron is seriously considering only a few teams despite Rich Paul's long list.
“There's no chance LeBron's considering 10 teams. He's probably considering two and a half”
- Brian Windhorst
Windhorst says league chatter about LeBron returning to Cleveland is based on vibes rather than knowledge.
“I don't think people are talking with knowledge. I think people are talking about vibes”
- Brian Windhorst
Windhorst posits that LeBron James has been on the record more than anyone in modern American history.
“I believe that LeBron James has given more interviews and has been on the record for more hours than anyone in modern American history”
- Brian Windhorst
Windhorst reports no sign that a rival men's league tied to LeBron and Maverick Carter is moving forward.
“But there's been no indication and I'm, and I wish I had more. But there's been no indication that that is going forward”
- Brian Windhorst
Windhorst expects the Utah Jazz to improve rapidly and says they are his team to watch.
“I think they're going to maybe get like way better, way fast. And so Utah is a team that I am going to be watching this season”
- Brian Windhorst
Windhorst says Jokić's contract situation will become a major story if he enters the season without an extension.
“But if Jokic enters the season having not extended, that will become a significant storyline”
People
In the conversation
- Dan KatzBarstool Sports personality known as Big Cat, co-host of Pardon My Take
- PFT CommenterBarstool Sports writer and co-host of Pardon My Take
- ZachNewest Pardon My Take staff member, Knicks fan
- MemesPardon My Take staffer and New York Knicks fan
- Hank LockwoodPardon My Take contributor and Boston Celtics fan
- Brian WindhorstESPN NBA reporter who criticized the Trae Young contract
Discussed
- Folarin BalogunUSMNT striker
- Donald TrumpPresident of the United States whose conduct of the Iran war is the episode's main subject
- Dave PortnoyBarstool Sports founder known for pizza reviews
- Piers MorganBritish broadcaster who criticized the Balogun decision
- Joey ChestnutCompetitive eater who pleaded guilty to slapping a man
- Taylor SwiftAmerican singer-songwriter cited as an example of public love-and-hate cycles
- Travis KelceNFL tight end and New Heights co-host engaged to Taylor Swift
- Erling HaalandNorwegian striker who showed off his LAN party setup
- Trae YoungNBA guard with the Washington Wizards
- Jaylen BrownBoston Celtics guard-forward at the center of the hosts' first-team All-NBA case
- LeBron JamesLos Angeles Lakers forward cited as a longevity outlier
- Rich PaulLeBron James's agent who presented a whiteboard of possible teams
- Draymond GreenGolden State Warriors forward
- Nikola JokićNBA center for the Denver Nuggets known for triple-doubles
- Maverick CarterLeBron James's business partner linked to a rival league idea
- Darryn PetersonKansas guard and top 2026 NBA draft prospect
- Brandon AiyukSan Francisco 49ers wide receiver
Topics
- 2026 FIFA World Cup
- United States men's national soccer team
- Folarin Balogun red card suspension
- LeBron James free agency
- Washington Wizards
- Jaylen Brown trade to the Philadelphia 76ers
- NBA salary cap second apron
- Mount Rushmore of weapons
- Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce wedding
- Video assistant referee
- Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest
- The B Project basketball league
- Utah Jazz
- Denver Nuggets
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From the publisher
The World Cup has been incredible and Balogun's red card has been suspended and he's ready to play against Belgium. The world is mad at the US but we don't care, we do the talking on the pitch. We talk about the incredible World Cup games including Mexico vs England, Argentina vs Cape Verde, And Croatia vs Portugal (00:00:00-00:37:52). Who's back of the week including Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have officially married. Dudes are back as Joey Chestnut wins again and the English fan sitting at a pub for 2 weeks as his entire family thinks he's dead (00:37:52-00:55:01). Mt Rushmore of weapons (00:55:01-01:21:34). Brian Windhorst joins the show to talk NBA Free Agency, defend his Trae Young take vs PFT, where will Lebron go next, the Jaylen Brown trade still not making much sense and more (01:21:34-02:23:52). We finish with lottery ball You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Netflix. Prime Members can listen ad-free on Amazon Music. For more, visit barstool.link/pardon-my-take
Summary, chapters and key points were generated from the episode transcript on September 29, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.