Two days after Jeff Passan’s name was mentioned as a potential replacement for Adrian Wojnarowski, ESPN’s most prominent insider is also said to be in the mix.
ESPN and Adam Schefter have “mutual interest” in an arrangement that would see the NFL insider add NBA reporting to his existing duties, Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports reported Monday — though at least one source at the network is said to have “flatly” denied the possibility.
Schefter, who joined ESPN as an NFL reporter in 2009, is an NBA afficionado who has on a few rare occasions worked the network’s NBA coverage as a sideline reporter. Those instances were in essence guest-starring roles rather than any formal position.
As previously noted by Andrew Marchand of The Athletic, ESPN is also believed to be considering MLB insider Jeff Passan for the NBA role, which opened up earlier this month after Wojnarowski’s abrupt departure for a role with the St. Bonaventure men’s basketball team.
It is worth noting that ESPN has other options than going with either Schefter or Passan. Two prominent NBA insiders are both on the market, with Chris Haynes having left TNT and Wojnarowski’s primary rival Shams Charania on an expiring contract with The Athletic.
Alternatively, the company could simply move forward with the litany of NBA insiders it already employs, including Brian Windhorst and Ramona Shelburne — both of whom regularly appear on the network’s various studio shows.
The latter would by far be the most cost-effective option, avoiding the salary hikes Schefter or Passan would almost certainly require and the cost of adding a free agent like Haynes or Charania. ESPN is almost certain to save money no matter what, as Wojnarowski made a reported $7 million/year, but the network has been particularly salary conscious as of late. In the past few weeks, it has laid off a handful of high-profile personnel, including NBA reporter Zach Lowe, over salary concerns.
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