Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo believes NBA commissioner Adam Silver ordered ESPN to lay-off veteran analyst Jeff Van Gundy as the fallout from the cuts continues.
“I can’t fathom the idea that ESPN in these layoffs… would fire Jeff Van Gundy,” Russo said on his SiriusXM podcast ‘Mad Dog’s Daily Bite’ on Tuesday.
“You’re not going to convince me that ESPN woke up in the last two weeks, looked at the budget sheet, and said: ‘We gotta fire Van Gundy because we gotta save some money.’ If that’s the case, fire Mark Jackson.
“ESPN will never admit it. They’re gonna say it’s our call. Nonsense. Why would they get rid of a great team? That team is a great team… you’re not going to convince me that that team, that everybody likes. Nobody doesn’t like that team.”
Mad Dog added: “That leads me to the conclusion that someone in the league office must’ve told ESPN: ‘I want Van Gundy out…’
“We all know he’s biting. We all know he gets on the officials. We all know he doesn’t hold back with his NBA opinions.
“So, if you’re asking me, little talk show host, who may not know a thing, this is just my opinion, Silver is the one who fired Van Gundy. Silver told ESPN: ‘I want him out.'”
