ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan has switched sports and is being floated as a candidate to replace Adrian Wojnarowski as ESPN’s lead NBA newsbreaker, according to six people briefed on the discussion. told The Athletic.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania is also a top candidate to replace Wojnarowski, according to the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the details of the ongoing search following Wojnarowski’s surprise retirement. . ESPN’s roster includes NBA insiders like Ramona Shelburne, Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps. This week, ESPN fired senior NBA writer Zach Lowe.
ESPN declined to comment.
Mr. Passan, 44, followed in the same footsteps as Mr. Wojnarowski, becoming a top insider at Yahoo Sports before moving to ESPN. Passan’s annual salary is about $1 million, according to a person briefed on the deal. Wojnarowski had $20 million left on his contract when he left journalism to become general manager of the St. Bonaventure men’s basketball team. Wojnarowski was making about $7 million per season.
In addition to potentially increasing Passan’s income, ESPN has a long-term relationship with the NBA, as it just signed an 11-year extension as the home of the NBA Finals. Meanwhile, the relationship between ESPN and baseball is at a delicate stage. His current contract, worth $540 million per season, has an opt-out clause that he has used or threatened to use by the end of next season. It’s possible that ESPN will continue to do business with MLB, but it’s not guaranteed. ESPN has an interest in MLB’s local rights, which could be a tie between the two.
In addition to Passan, ESPN also has other baseball figures like Buster Olney and Jesse Rogers. Mr. Passan is aware of the interest, but it is unclear whether he would accept the offer if made, according to a person briefed on the internal conversations.
Upon Wojnarowski’s retirement, ESPN executives mentioned to him the option of becoming a consultant. If Passan is offered the job and accepts it, Wojnarowski and ESPN analyst and former NBA GM Bobby Marks could be his mentors. Passan has limited NBA experience, so a learning curve would likely have to be considered if ESPN made such a move.
Some decision-makers at ESPN want to reconsider the position of top NBA insiders. In addition to breaking MLB news, Passan also writes long-form articles. Wojnarowski used to be a prolific writer, but at ESPN he focused mostly on breaking news and television and radio appearances.
Charania, 30, would be a plug-and-play hire for ESPN as he competes directly with Wojnarowski. Sources said Charania, who remains under contract with The Athletic, also has interest from NBC, which has new NBA rights. FanDuel TV also wants to continue with Charania. He recently signed on to provide his voice in NBA 2K. He also previously worked at the stadium, but will not be returning to that outlet.
On ESPN, Charania has received public support from Pat McAfee, who regularly appears on the show. Athletic want Charania to stay.
“We are not at all surprised by the interest in Shams, as we continue to set the pace with essential coverage of the NBA and its key players,” Stephen Ginsburg, editor-in-chief of The Athletic, said in a statement. “We are proud to have him as a colleague and are fully committed to keeping him at The Athletic for many years to come.”
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