In a stunning move, 12-year ESPN staffer Zach Lowe has been let go by the outlet, just days after longtime NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski announced his retirement.
The Athletic first reported the news:
“ESPN has parted ways with NBA senior writer Zach Lowe as part of the network’s continuing layoffs, sources briefed on the decision…,” The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand said.
“…Lowe’s salary, which was in excess of seven figures annually, was the biggest factor in ESPN’s decision, according to sources briefed on the terms of his contract. He is expected to be the final layoff of this round.”
Recently, ESPN also laid off NFL reporters Robert Griffin III and Samantha Ponder right before the start of the NFL season last month. It’s all part of ESPN’s fiscal year planning that concludes at the end of September.
As well as writing for ESPN, Lowe regularly appeared on the network’s daily program NBA Today, to provide color and insight and hosted The Lowe Post podcast.
The podcast provided a source of news for the league and just this week, Lowe had incoming Lakers coach JJ Redick as a guest on the show.
Lowe had been working at ESPN for over a decade and was one of the few writers to make the transition over to ESPN when Bill Simmons’ Grantland shut down in 2015.
Naturally, many in the NBA community have speculated that Lowe will next head to Bill Simmons’ current outlet, The Ringer.
But if he doesn’t, NBC and Amazon will no doubt be looking for some on-air NBA talent before their league rights agreements kicks in in 2025.
Or, maybe he will even join his former colleague Wojnarowski helping out the men’s basketball team at St. Bonaventure.
The world is his oyster.
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