Why Brunson Is Top 50 All Time, a Finals Mega-Mailbag, and NBA Fake Trade Season With Joe House

Episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast · June 15, 2026 · 2 h 4 min

Bill Simmons and Joe House debate Jalen Brunson's all-time standing after the Knicks' 2026 title, NBA draft and trade scenarios, and a Finals mailbag.

Summary

Bill Simmons and Joe House recorded the episode the Monday after the New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs in five games to win the 2026 NBA Finals. They opened with early-offseason storylines, including Darryn Peterson reportedly working out only for Washington, their expectation that the Wizards would draft AJ Dybantsa first, a possible Chicago–Memphis draft swap, Giannis Antetokounmpo trade talk involving Boston and possibly the Clippers, and the future of De'Aaron Fox in San Antonio. House argued the Spurs arrived a year early and that late-game stamina is a learned skill, while Simmons contended the Fox–Dylan Harper pairing would not work and that Harper should take over.

The centerpiece was Simmons's Hall of Fame pyramid from his basketball book. Simmons argued that Brunson, never a first-team All-NBA player, had earned a top-50 all-time spot by carrying the Knicks to the title, eventually placing him 41st after House suggested he should not be ahead of Walt Frazier. Both men said they would take Brunson's career over James Harden's because of championship value, and they compared him with Barkley, Stockton, Chris Paul, Luka Dončić and other guards.

The mailbag covered whether letting Brunson leave Dallas was worse than trading Luka Dončić (both said the Luka trade was worse), Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving choosing Brooklyn over the Knicks, OG Anunoby's standing as a 3-and-D player, worst Finals performances by a team's highest-paid player, Victor Wembanyama's rapid shift in public perception (including the nickname "the Big Fondue"), lessons for copying the Knicks' team-building, and whether Tom Thibodeau deserves another job. They closed with long championship droughts for Dallas Cowboys and Washington football fans, House's U.S. Open golf picks, and Simmons's account of attending the U.S. men's national team's World Cup opener at SoFi Stadium.

Chapters

  1. 2:34

    Intro and weekend recap

    Simmons welcomes Joe House and runs through the Knicks' title, the Stanley Cup, the UFC White House event and World Cup betting.

  2. 5:17

    NBA draft storylines

    The hosts discuss Darryn Peterson's workout stance, the top four picks and a possible Chicago–Memphis swap.

  3. 10:45

    Spurs aftermath and the Fox–Harper question

    House argues the Spurs were a year early while Simmons says the Fox–Harper pairing will not work.

  4. 21:02

    Giannis trade and the Clippers

    They weigh a three-team Giannis deal involving Jaylen Brown, the Clippers' fifth pick and Kawhi Leonard.

  5. 24:48

    Brunson and the pyramid

    Simmons explains his pyramid criteria and argues Brunson now ranks among the top 50 players of all time.

  6. 39:20

    Brunson versus Harden and other guards

    The hosts compare Brunson with James Harden, Barkley, Frazier, Stockton and Luka, settling on 41st for Brunson.

  7. 54:13

    Mailbag: Brunson, Dallas and Knicks what-ifs

    Listeners ask about the Jalen name, Dallas letting Brunson go, and stars who spurned the Knicks.

  8. 1:08:56

    Mailbag: small guards, OG Anunoby and top-five players

    Simmons revisits Gus Williams, ranks OG Anunoby and questions the rule about needing a top-five player.

  9. 1:17:28

    Mailbag: Spurs, Fox and Wembanyama

    The hosts discuss the worst Finals performances by highest-paid players, Fox's struggles and Wembanyama's turn into a villain.

  10. 1:39:07

    Copying the Knicks and Tibbs

    Simmons lists lessons from the Knicks' roster building, and both argue Tom Thibodeau deserves another job.

  11. 1:47:35

    Long-suffering fan bases

    They debate whether Cowboys or Washington football fans have endured the worst drought, with House criticizing Washington's former owner.

  12. 1:51:42

    U.S. Open picks and the World Cup

    House offers golf picks and Simmons describes attending the USMNT's World Cup win over Paraguay.

Key points

What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.

  • Bill SimmonsCame true

    Simmons says he and House are convinced Washington will take AJ Dybantsa with the first pick.

    “we're both convinced that Washington is going to take AJ to banter with the first pick”

    Listen from 5:34 · 2026 NBA draft

  • Joe House

    House argues the Spurs reached the Finals a year early and simply were not ready.

    “is really emblematic of who this Spurs team is and the fact that they arrived a year early. They just weren't ready”

    Listen from 11:00 · San Antonio Spurs

  • Joe House

    House contends the Spurs' late-game fade reflected an unlearned skill of energy management rather than conditioning.

    “running out of energy, that's a skill. That's not about the conditioning of the Spurs versus the conditioning of the Knicks”

    Listen from 16:12 · 2026 NBA Finals

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons predicts the pairing of De'Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper in San Antonio will not work out.

    “This Fox Harper thing is not going to end well. I'm sorry. It's just won't”

    Listen from 20:05 · San Antonio Spurs

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons argues that Jalen Brunson now has to rank among the top 50 players of all time.

    “I think he has to be one of the top 50 porters of all time though”

    Listen from 27:08 · The Book of Basketball

  • Linked moment · 44:37Skip to 44:37 using a listen link in the info box.

    Joe House

    House says choosing Brunson's career over Harden's is easy because championships are all that matter.

    “I mean, it's a no-brainer. It's easy. Flags fly forever. The only thing that matters is the chip”

    Listen from 44:37 · James Harden playoff legacy

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons argues Brunson's playoff production over four years surpasses anything Harden achieved.

    “Um, it's just better than anything James Harden ever did. And it was a higher level than anything James Harden ever did”

    Listen from 46:33 · James Harden playoff legacy

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons places Brunson 41st in his pyramid after agreeing to drop him below Walt Frazier.

    “All right. So Jalen Brunson, 41 in the pyramid. Unbelievable. Great. Welcome aboard”

    Listen from 53:37 · The Book of Basketball

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons argues the Luka Dončić trade was worse than letting Brunson walk because Dallas never shopped Dončić.

    “they didn't shop the Luka trade is what made it horrible. And they didn't shop it because if it came out, their fans would have rioted”

    Listen from 57:16 · Luka Dončić trade

  • Joe House

    House says Durant and Kyrie Irving skipping the Knicks was the bigger miss because the East was so winnable.

    “I'm going to say KD and Kyrie, just because the East was so gettable”

    Listen from 1:04:34 · Brooklyn Nets

  • Joe House

    House argues Brooklyn has never been and never will be a relevant NBA destination.

    “Brooklyn is never going to be a thing. It's not a thing now. It wasn't a thing back then”

    Listen from 1:06:24 · Brooklyn Nets

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons ranks the league's five best players as Jokić, Gilgeous-Alexander, Brunson, Wembanyama and Dončić.

    “But I think Brunson, it's Joker, SGA, Brunson, Wemby, and Luka, probably in that order”

    Listen from 1:16:22 · New York Knicks

  • Joe House

    House defends De'Aaron Fox, blaming the Spurs' late-game failures more on coach Mitch Johnson.

    “It's more of a Mitch Johnson problem than the Aaron Fox blame circle to me”

    Listen from 1:24:48 · 2026 NBA Finals

  • Joe House

    House argues younger fans who follow the NBA online will keep revering Wembanyama despite the Finals backlash.

    “consuming the NBA, not by watching games, but by consuming it on the internet that will still hold Wemby in the highest regard”

    Listen from 1:31:25 · 2026 NBA Finals

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons says his biggest handicapping mistake was discounting that the Spurs felt they had already peaked by beating OKC.

    “But what I discounted was they'd kind of already climbed the mountain”

    Listen from 1:34:53 · 2026 NBA Finals

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons says the key lesson from the Knicks' build is that front offices should be willing to take bold swings.

    “And then my biggest lesson for them is don't be afraid to take a couple swings”

    Listen from 1:41:05 · New York Knicks

  • Joe House

    House agrees that Tom Thibodeau helped prepare the Knicks for the title and wonders why he is not at least an assistant somewhere.

    “i have been wondering aloud why isn't tibbs at least like a defensive assistant somewhere”

    Listen from 1:44:40 · New York Knicks

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons says Game 6 of the 1986 World Series remains the worst sports loss of all time.

    “And I still think game six of the 86 World Series is the worst sports loss of all time”

    Listen from 1:46:58 · 1986 World Series

  • Joe House

    House condemns Washington's former owner for two decades of damaging the franchise, its fans and its city.

    “He took a shit on the fans. He took a shit on the city. He took a shit on winning”

    Listen from 1:49:38 · Washington Commanders

  • Joe HouseDidn’t happen

    House recommends betting Scottie Scheffler to win the U.S. Open, calling his price the best odds of any major.

    “Scotty Scheffler at plus 550 is the best odds of any major”

    Listen from 1:51:51 · 2026 U.S. Open (golf)

  • Bill Simmons

    Simmons says the U.S. win over Paraguay he attended was the best American World Cup game he has seen.

    “I saw the best American soccer game we've ever played in the world cup”

    Listen from 1:54:49 · United States men's national soccer team

People

In the conversation

  • Bill SimmonsSportswriter and founder of The Ringer, host of The Bill Simmons Podcast
  • Joe HouseRinger podcaster and longtime friend of Bill Simmons, known for sports betting talk

Discussed

Topics

More from The Bill Simmons Podcast

From the publisher

The Ringer’s Bill Simmons and Joe House talk about their favorite early-offseason NBA story lines, including draft changes and trade moves. Then, they discuss Jalen Brunson’s greatness in the NBA Finals before comparing him to some other all-time greats. Finally, Bill and Joe answer some mailbag questions from the listeners. (0:00) Intro (3:15) Favorite offseason NBA story lines (25:50) Is Jalen Brunson a top-50 all-time player? (54:21) Mailbag Host: Bill Simmons Guest: Joe House Producers: Chia Hao Tat and Eduardo Ocampo Brought to you by PayPal. Learn more at paypal.com Get 30% off snacks and groceries on Uber Eats. https://www.ubereats.com/feeds/wfootball_2026_us 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 29, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.

Categories: Basketball·Sports·Soccer