When the new NBA media rights deal begins next season, Zach Lowe could return to television in an analyst’s role.
Lowe. who was surprisingly laid off by ESPN before the NBA season began, signed with The Ringer at the end of March. But as Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports reported, Lowe’s roles as a podcaster and writer for The Ringer wouldn’t preclude him from returning to television with one of the NBA’s partners.
“Lowe’s new deal with The Ringer is non-exclusive, a source tells Front Office Sports, meaning Lowe is still free to pursue new TV or streaming gigs outside The Ringer and parent company Spotify,” McCarthy said. “The basketball writer, podcaster, and analyst might have multiple media opportunities. With its 11-year, $77 billion media-rights deal, the NBA is adding new media-rights partners Amazon Prime Video and NBC Sports to its roster next season, alongside incumbents ESPN (U.S.) and TNT Sports (international).”
McCarthy also detailed other people in sports media — such as Charissa Thompson (Fox Sports, Prime), Kirk Herbstreit (ESPN, Prime) and Michael Strahan (ABC, Fox) who do work for different outlets.
If one of the NBA’s new network partners were to bring him in, it would be a sign that the outlet is focused on legitimate NBA commentary — something his previous employer was often not committed to.
If nothing else, hiring someone regarded as one of the best NBA writers around would be great optics for NBA fans concerned about how the new network partners will cover the league in the 2025-26 season and beyond.
