On Thursday, news broke of Doris Burke being replaced by her ESPN colleague Tim Legler on the NBA Finals broadcast panel this season. According to a veteran journalist, the network did not exactly benefit from making this adjustment to their commentary team.
Speaking on his sports show "Fearless With Jason Whitlock," analyst Jason Whitlock claimed that Legler has an uphill battle ahead of him, given the quality work that some of his predecessors have done in the past.
"They may have just put Tim Legler in a losing position because Legler and Richard Jefferson, that's not gonna be as good as Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson, either," Whitlock said. "It doesn't sound like a number one team to me." [Timestamp - 2:22]

The commentary panel of Van Gundy, Jackson, and play-by-play broadcaster Mike Breen called a total of 15 NBA Finals before Van Gundy and Jackson were laid off by ESPN in 2023. In the aftermath of this dismissal, Burke stepped into the role of color commentator along with former NBA champion Richard Jefferson.
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Though Whitlock spoke highly of Burke's work prior to joining the network's "A team" on commentary, he expressed his disappointment in her performance over the past two years.
"Everybody, including me, loved Doris Burke," Whitlock pointed out. "As a change of pace on lower-tier NBA games, everybody loved her. They [ESPN] being filled up on DEI, promoted her to the number one job where expectations elevate, and she got exposed. [Timestamp - 1:21]
According to a statement by ESPN, Burke will be calling a number of NBA games as Dave Pasch's partner. Time will tell if she and Legler will thrive in their new roles.
Sports journalist slams Doris Burke's demotion from ESPN's no. 1 team for NBA coverage
Fans and analysts alike have offered their opinions on this new chapter in Burke's career. One journalist expressed disgust with her demotion from the number one team.
According to reporter and radio personality James Palmer, Burke was too talented to deserve this fate.
"Doris Burke is as good as it gets. Not a fan of this," Palmer tweeted.
Though Palmer and other peers in the journalism world may not be happy with this move, Burke will now have to prove herself once again as she transitions into a new broadcasting role.