The Zach Lowe Show Next Steps for Denver? Plus, Reaves’s Return, and Pistons on the Brink!
69 snips
Apr 28, 2026 
Rob Mahoney, basketball writer and analyst, joins to break down playoff pivots and team trajectories. They debate Austin Reaves’s potential return and what it means for rotations. They question whether Denver’s championship window is closing. They also unpack Detroit’s struggles against Orlando and the torque in TOR-CLE.
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Lottery Reform Will Trade Tanking For Random Upsets
- Proposed lottery reform flattens odds for the 10 worst teams and includes 18 teams in the lottery to curb tanking.
- Flattened odds will reduce extreme tanking but force leagues to accept playoff or mid-tier teams sometimes winning top picks.
A Denver Comeback Would Carry An Asterisk
- A Nuggets series win over an injury-hit Wolves would feel partly hollow because key Wolves players (Edwards, DiVincenzo) are absent.
- Denver's deeper offseason decisions could be forestalled if they win despite being exposed earlier.
Denver Has Few Practical Moves To Extend Its Window
- The Nuggets have limited roster levers: big trades are constrained by past protected-pick deals and salary commitments.
- Denver's obligations (top-five protections to OKC and Nets picks tied up) make meaningful upgrades difficult without nuclear moves.