Business Decision with Mike Vorkunov

Mike Vorkunov

Welcome to Mike Vorkunov's show. Mike is a reporter who covers the NBA and the business of sports. This show will be a place to discuss the intersection of money and sports, and all the funny business in between. From the NBA, NFL, MLB, WNBA, NHL, and every other sport you can think of.

  1. Why the Knicks Are a Unique NBA Championship Story

    Jun 17

    Why the Knicks Are a Unique NBA Championship Story

    The New York Knicks completed the most unbelievable comeback ever. And it wasn't just what Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, KAT and Co. pulled off in Game 4 of the NBA Finals! The Knicks won their first NBA title in 53 years because of an unlikely rise from the bottom. Two former Knicks beat writers and NBA reporters — Mike Vorkunov and Yaron Weitzman — talk about how they got there. The Knicks beat the Spurs in 5 but their path from the depths of the late 2010s was even more incredible. Do you remember the Phil Jackson days? Or him beefing with Carmelo Anthony? Do you still own a Frank Ntilikina jersey? Mike and Yaron talk about what it was like in some of the bleaker days and what made these Knicks so good. They tell behind the scenes stories about covering the #Knicks. What a ride it's been. 11:44 Why the Knicks won a totally unique title compared to NBA history 28:24 What lessons the rest of the NBA can take from these Knicks 31:57 How the Knicks were ahead of the curve 45:39 A walk down Knicks memory lane READING LIST: 'A diabolical genius’: The new bright mind in the Knicks front office Inside look at how Leon Rose rebuilt the Knicks: ‘We need Quickley’ Jalen Brunson, NBA champion and finals MVP, is officially the greatest Knick ever

    56 min
  2. Could You Buy the Knicks Soon? Kind of.

    Jun 5

    Could You Buy the Knicks Soon? Kind of.

    You could buy a piece of the New York Knicks and Rangers soon. No, really. MSG Sports, the owners of the NBA and NHL teams, is planning to spin each of those teams off into separate publicly traded companies. That means Knicks and Rangers stock could soon be available on the stock. But why is this happening. Mike Vorkunov, a reporter for The Athletic, and Yaron Weitzman, a NBA reporter and author, talk to Lightshed Partners analyst Brandon Ross about why MSG Sports is spinning off its two teams into separate companies and what it means. Could a sale of either team be on the horizon? We got the answers for you here. 3:00 — Would the Knicks actually be sold? 5:30 — Why is James Dolan doing this? 14:00 — There's little benefit to being publicly traded company if you're a sports teams 🔔 Subscribe for more Knicks/NBA business breakdowns

    29 min
  3. The NBA's Big $10 Billion Question

    May 28

    The NBA's Big $10 Billion Question

    What's going to happen to the Los Angeles Lakers? That's the $10 Billion question around the NBA right now. The Lakers are undergoing a makeover. Maybe on the court, as they build around Luka Dončić, but definitely in the front office and through the organization. That's because of the guy who bought them last year: Mark Walter, the owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Will Walter try to make the Lakers into the Dodgers? That's what everyone wants to know. Mike Vorkunov, an NBA reporter for The Athletic, and Yaron Weitzman, a NBA reporter and the author of A Hollywood Ending," his book about LeBron James and the Lakers, discuss what happens next with the #Lakers and how owning one pro sports team impacts how you run another. They also discuss the Philadelphia 76ers and if the Lakers can anything from the ownership of Josh Harris, who also owns a NFL team, EPL team, NHL team, and soon a WNBA team. THE READING LIST What will the Lakers look like with top Dodgers execs helping lead the way? That's the big question in L.A. A Hollywood Ending: The Dreams and Drama of the LeBron Lakers The NBA's $10 Billion Question: What Happens With the Lakers

    36 min
  4. The Case Against NBA Expansion

    Apr 13

    The Case Against NBA Expansion

    The NBA seems set to expand. It's definitely exploring it. But is it good for the league? On this episode of Business Decision, Mike Vorkunov talks to The Ringer's Howard Beck to see if the NBA should expand and why it could hurt the league. Not financially. The NBA will make plenty of money. But if it will make the basketball worse. The part no one is talking about for the basketball league. Howard and Mike discuss the case against expansion and why it would dilute the quality of basketball. They also talk about whether the NBA will expand at all and what the factors at play are for the NBA. Where? How much? Why? All that and much more. THE READING LIST “There’s No Basketball Case”: Why the NBA Is Expanding Anyway Are We Sure NBA Expansion Is a Good Idea?

    54 min
  5. How to Build a New Sneaker Company and the NBA All-Star Hoping to "Make This an Empire”

    Apr 8

    How to Build a New Sneaker Company and the NBA All-Star Hoping to "Make This an Empire”

    The Athletic's national NBA reporter, Mike Vorkunov, looks at how a new shoe company goes from new to an NBA court. On this episode of Business Decision, Mike talked to Stria Sports founder Eric Porter and Philadelphia 76ers center Andre Drummond about how they are trying to build the company into something big and sustainable. Porter founded the company a few years ago and Drummond, a two-time All-Star, just came on as an investor and creative director. Soon, he'll have his own signature shoe. That will be the first time a Stria sneaker hits the #NBA hardwood. So why did Drummond leave Nike for a little-known emerging company? He describes his decision and what he hopes to do at Stria. Porter talks about his idea behind starting the company and what the ambitions are. Also, what's the best business decision both of them made? And why Andre Drummond doesn't just take the easy money anymore.

    28 min
  6. WNBA is BACK! New CBA Analysis and WNBA Offseason Preview

    Mar 25

    WNBA is BACK! New CBA Analysis and WNBA Offseason Preview

    Mike Vorkunov talks to The Athletic's lead WNBA reporter, Sabreena Merchant, about the big news in the WNBA and women's basketball: the new CBA. Mike and Sabreena get into the details of the new CBA, what it means for the league, and what there is to like and worry about for the players. We discuss how the WNBA will operate with the new collective bargaining agreement in place and if either side made a bad deal. Then, Mike and Sabreena move on to the rapidly approaching WNBA offseason. It's about to start very soon. There's two expansion drafts, a WNBA draft, and free agency. It's time for the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo to start building their teams and then start playing. We talk about which teams might have big offseasons and why. We also discuss the crunch that teams like the Las Vegas Aces could find themselves in with the new CBA. Also, is there a new way to build a winner in the WNBA and does it give teams like the Indiana Fever and Dallas Wings an advantage because of Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers? That and much more in this new episode of Business Decision. THE READING LIST WNBA, WNBPA release additional financial details of new CBA WNBA, players reach verbal agreement on new CBA after marathon negotiations

    34 min
  7. The Secret Fight to Keep the Trail Blazers From Leaving Portland

    Feb 11

    The Secret Fight to Keep the Trail Blazers From Leaving Portland

    While everyone is talking about NBA expansion, Portland Trail Blazers fans and local politicians are fighting to keep the NBA team in the city. It's more serious than you know. The Athletic's Mike Vorkunov talks to Oregonian sports columnist Bill Oram about the battle to keep the Trail Blazers from leaving Portland. It's an interesting story that mixes the delicate power dynamics involved when a new team owner comes in, the unwillingness of a local government to give him what he wants, and the high costs of owning a pro sports team. Oram knows more about this issue than anyone else. On this episode of Business Decision, Mike and Bill talk about his fears that the #Blazers could go, what will keep them in Portland, how this is all happening as the #WNBA comes to the city with the Portland Fire, and his prediction for how this all ends. The Reading List I Hope I'm Wrong But This Is Why I Fear the Trail Blazers Could Be As Good As Gone Trail Blazers’ future in Portland less clear than ever as arena efforts meet resistance

    36 min
  8. Secrets of 2026 NFL Head Coaching Openings and 1 Easy Trick That Might Actually Work To Get a Good Coach

    Jan 14

    Secrets of 2026 NFL Head Coaching Openings and 1 Easy Trick That Might Actually Work To Get a Good Coach

    It's time for the NFL's head coaching carousel! Where NFL head coach openings get filled. But by who? And how does it all work? On this episode of Business Decision, Mike Vorkunov talks to Sports Illustrated NFL writer Conor about how head coaches really get hired in the NFL, who makes the decision and why. They explain where John Harbaugh could go and why the Baltimore Ravens now have the best job available on the market. Can you guess the worst jobs open right now? Mike and Conor also talk about why some head coaching candidates don't get the look they deserve and explain why the Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan coaching tree actually is a good way to hire. Picking those Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers coaches seems to work! 06:59 “It’s the cheapest way to fix all of your problems at once without actually fixing your problems.” 08:41 Why the #Ravens job is the top head coach opening 11:40 How John Harbaugh’s agent has influenced the head coaching search 13:18 Who will the Baltimore Ravens consider for their head coaching job? 22:47 How often do NFL teams hire a coach to win the press conference? 31:47 Hiring Sean McVay’s assistant is the best hiring policy 49:14 Why teams want to hire GMs and head coaches who are friends ***This episode was recorded before Mike Tomlin left the Pittsburgh Steelers and that job became available*** READING LIST The Top NFL Head Coaching Candidates Teams Will Consider for 2026 Ranking the NFL Head Coach Openings With the Steelers’ Job Now Available Why Vance Joseph Is Ready to Break a Trend in the Coaching Industry Could Skip a Step in the Head Coach Hiring Cycle

    57 min
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About

Welcome to Mike Vorkunov's show. Mike is a reporter who covers the NBA and the business of sports. This show will be a place to discuss the intersection of money and sports, and all the funny business in between. From the NBA, NFL, MLB, WNBA, NHL, and every other sport you can think of.

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