Harden’s Moment, an NFL Schedule Glut, Owning the Jazz, and a Boston Sports Check-In—With Bryan Curtis, Bill’s Dad, and Ryan Smith
Episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast · May 15, 2026 · 2 h 54 min
Bill Simmons previews NBA Game 6s, discusses sports schedule glut with Bryan Curtis, Boston sports with his dad, and Jazz rebuilding with owner Ryan Smith.
Summary
Bill Simmons opened with a preview of the Friday Game 6 doubleheader in the 2026 NBA playoffs, naming five players he was watching: Julius Randle, Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie, Jalen Duren, Max Strus and James Harden. He predicted Cleveland would eliminate Detroit, argued San Antonio's three-point shooting was its vulnerability, and reflected on Harden's disappointing playoff record in the 2020s.
The Ringer's Bryan Curtis joined to discuss the NFL's expanding calendar, including nine international games, a Wednesday night game before Thanksgiving, a Valentine's Day Super Bowl and a likely 18-game schedule. Curtis described the moment as "peak sports TV" while arguing leagues bet that fans will keep watching regardless; the two also discussed streamers' differing sports strategies, local games moving off broadcast TV, how content overload affects memory, LeBron James's future, and Inside the NBA's struggles at ESPN.
Simmons's father discussed the Celtics' first-round collapse against Philadelphia, saying he would trade Jaylen Brown for the right package and criticizing the coaching approach that let Joel Embiid rest on defense. He condemned Fenway Sports Group's stewardship of the Red Sox and expressed sadness over the Mike Vrabel controversy surrounding the Patriots.
Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith described moving up to the No. 2 pick in the 2026 draft lottery, how he nearly bought the Minnesota Timberwolves before acquiring the Jazz, his hiring of Danny and Austin Ainge, Utah's growth as a tech and sports market, his views on lottery reform, the changing profile of NBA owners, and his support for expansion as part of the league's global vision.
Chapters
- 0:06
Intro and show rundown
Simmons previews the episode and the Rewatchables schedule.
- 3:54
Five players to watch in Game 6s
Simmons analyzes Randle, Vassell and Champagnie, Duren and Strus ahead of the Cavs-Pistons and Spurs-Wolves Game 6s.
- 13:38
James Harden's playoff legacy
Simmons reviews Harden's playoff history and predicts Cleveland closes out Detroit.
- 22:10
Bryan Curtis on the NFL schedule glut
Simmons and Curtis debate whether the NFL's expanding calendar and holiday games amount to too much sports.
- 32:33
Streamers, media rights and season length
The pair discuss network versus streamer strategies, a February Super Bowl, and longer seasons across leagues.
- 51:42
Content overload, LeBron and Inside the NBA
They discuss how sports blur in memory, LeBron's future, and Draymond Green and Shaq on Inside the NBA.
- 1:10:12
Bill's dad on the Celtics collapse
Simmons's father discusses Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, coaching and possible trades after the loss to Philadelphia.
- 1:30:26
Red Sox, Patriots and TV picks
The father criticizes the Red Sox ownership, discusses the Vrabel story, and shares TV and movie opinions.
- 1:43:16
Ryan Smith on the lottery win
Smith recounts his lottery superstitions and the Jazz jumping to the No. 2 pick.
- 1:57:27
Buying the Jazz and building Utah
Smith explains nearly buying the Timberwolves, acquiring the Jazz, and Utah's growth as a market.
- 2:13:24
Hiring the Ainges and team structure
Smith describes his organizational approach and how he hired Austin Ainge over Danny Ainge.
- 2:24:45
Lottery reform, ownership and expansion
Smith weighs in on lottery reform, involved ownership, NBA expansion and the Board of Governors.
Key points
What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.
- Bill Simmons
Simmons argued San Antonio's unreliable three-point shooting is the team's main weakness.
“San Antonio specifically, I don't totally trust their three-point shooting. And I think this is the Achilles heel of the team the more I watch them”
- Bill SimmonsDidn’t happen
Simmons predicted Cleveland would eliminate Detroit in Game 6.
“I think they're gonna finish off Detroit in game six”
- Bryan Curtis
Curtis said the current moment feels like peak sports TV but believes leagues still have more room to expand.
“This feels like peak sports TV. except I don't know that we're quite there yet”
- Bryan Curtis
Curtis noted last year's Thanksgiving Cowboys-Chiefs game drew more viewers than either conference championship game.
“It was the highest rated non-Super Bowl game of the season”
- Bill Simmons
Simmons argued that selling standalone games to streamers is weakening the Sunday Fox and CBS packages.
“what they're really doing is weakening the Sunday Fox and CBS games”
Listen from 33:22 · Sports broadcasting rights and streaming
- Bill Simmons
Simmons suggested moving the Super Bowl to February 14 is a test for an eventual 18-game schedule.
“I almost feel like it's a feeler to see this is how it's going to work for us when we go to 18 weeks”
- Bill Simmons
Simmons argued local teams' playoff games should remain on broadcast television.
“At the very least, like the games in the local cities, I feel like should be on normal TV”
Listen from 49:15 · Sports broadcasting rights and streaming
- Bryan CurtisDidn’t happen
Curtis predicted the Knicks would lose to the Thunder in the NBA Finals.
“when the Knicks lose to the Thunder in the, in the finals here in a couple of weeks”
- Bill Simmons
Simmons said Shaquille O'Neal is the biggest problem with Inside the NBA because he no longer follows the league closely.
“like Shaq, Shaq is the biggest issue with the show. Like it just doesn't seem”
- Bill Simmons's father
Simmons's father said he would trade Jaylen Brown immediately for the right package.
“If the package was perfect for Jalen Brown, I would move him in a heartbeat”
- Bill Simmons's father
Simmons's father blamed coaching for letting Tatum and Brown bring the ball up, which let Embiid rest on defense.
“if Tatum and Brown consistently are bringing the ball up so that Embiid can just stand there and be lazy and rested, that's a coaching decision”
- Bill Simmons
Simmons questioned why the Celtics played Jayson Tatum heavy minutes after his return from injury.
“The thing I will never understand is why they put all those minutes on Tatum”
- Bill Simmons's father
Simmons's father criticized Fenway Sports Group for being cheap with payroll while charging the highest ticket prices.
“the Fenway group that has billions of dollars has become the cheapest franchise in the league with the highest prices to go to a game”
- Ryan Smith
Smith said the Jazz's goal is Utah's first championship and that it requires a bold rebuild rather than incremental steps.
“our goals are win a championship in Utah. It's never happened as well. And I just don't think we're going to tiptoe into that”
- Ryan Smith
Smith disclosed he had been pursuing the Minnesota Timberwolves before buying the Jazz.
“I mean, there's no secret. I was looking at Minnesota”
- Ryan Smith
Smith argued Utah is not a small market, citing its young, fast-growing population.
“But we're the fastest growing, youngest demographic in the country”
- Ryan Smith
Smith said he had long considered Austin Ainge his preferred choice to run the basketball operation.
“You call Austin Ainge. And you tell him to come out, you're going to run it. Cause Austin's an absolute star”
- Ryan Smith
Smith said he would accept a lottery rule barring his team from a top-five pick next year and favored unprotecting restricted picks.
“I'd be okay now that we're the second pick. Like, okay, great. You can't come in the top five next year. Solves a lot of problems”
- Ryan Smith
Smith argued rising franchise prices mean principal owners will now be heavily involved in running teams.
“I think long gone are the days where the principle, or the main principle, is not heavily involved”
- Ryan Smith
Smith said he would support expansion to Seattle and Las Vegas as part of the NBA's broader global strategy despite concerns about Vegas's proximity to Utah.
“if Seattle and, and Vegas are part of that bigger picture, like I'll do it”
People
In the conversation
- Bill SimmonsSportswriter and founder of The Ringer, host of The Bill Simmons Podcast
- Bryan CurtisThe Ringer editor-at-large and sports media writer, host of The Press Box
- Bill Simmons's fatherBill Simmons's father, a longtime Boston sports fan and Celtics season-ticket holder
- Ryan SmithQualtrics co-founder and owner of the Utah Jazz and Utah Mammoth
Discussed
- James HardenGuard traded to Cleveland during the season
- Julius RandleMinnesota Timberwolves forward
- Jalen DurenDetroit Pistons center praised for consistency
- Max StrusCleveland Cavaliers wing
- Victor WembanyamaSan Antonio Spurs center and MVP candidate
- Jaylen BrownBoston Celtics guard-forward at the center of the hosts' first-team All-NBA case
- Jayson TatumBoston Celtics forward returning from injury
- Brad StevensBoston Celtics president of basketball operations
- Joel EmbiidPhiladelphia 76ers center and former NBA MVP
- Mike VrabelHead coach of the New England Patriots
- LeBron JamesLos Angeles Lakers forward cited as a longevity outlier
- Draymond GreenGolden State Warriors forward
- Charles BarkleyNBA on TNT analyst and Hall of Fame player
- Shaquille O'NealHall of Fame center used as an aging comparison for Giannis
- Danny AingeUtah Jazz executive and former Celtics president
- Austin AingeUtah Jazz president of basketball operations
- Will HardyUtah Jazz head coach
- Adam SilverCommissioner of the NBA
- Jerry JonesDallas Cowboys owner
- Dwyane WadeHall of Fame guard and Jazz minority owner
Topics
- 2026 NBA playoffs
- NFL scheduling and season expansion
- Utah Jazz
- James Harden playoff legacy
- Sports broadcasting rights and streaming
- Boston Celtics
- 2026 NBA draft lottery
- Tanking in the NBA
- NBA expansion
- Boston Red Sox
- Mike Vrabel–Dianna Russini boat photos
- Inside the NBA
- Utah Mammoth
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Detroit Pistons
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From the publisher
The Ringer’s Bill Simmons talks about five guys he’s observing for the two major Game 6 NBA playoff games on Friday night (3:54). Then, Bryan Curtis joins to discuss the current state of sports programming before Bill’s dad hops on to reflect on the Celtics’ playoff collapse and to check in on Boston sports (22:38). Finally, Jazz owner Ryan Smith joins the pod to talk about the second pick in the 2026 NBA draft, rebuilding the team, the growth of Utah, and much more (01:43:22). Host: Bill Simmons Guests: Bryan Curtis, Bill’s dad, and Ryan Smith Producers: Chia Hao Tat and Eduardo Ocampo Book a new kind of stay at HolidayInn.com The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit https://fanduel.com/playwithaplan to learn more about the resources and helplines Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Summary, chapters and key points were generated from the episode transcript on September 28, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.